The Cyber effect

We are living in the Cyber age, no doubt about that. But what exactly are the effects of this upon us as a society? That is the subject of Dr. Mary Aiken's book "The Cyber effect", just recently published. The author does an outstanding job of addressing the harms and threats posed by living in the Cyber age. Specifically, the author addresses cyber-bullying, cyberchondria (i.e. healthcare Sherlocks), child porn, the Dark net and the online disinhibition effect (i.e. people are more inclined to say and do things online than they would in real life).

The web has been referred to as "the largest unregulated social experiment of all time". This has very serious implications for our future. Although the web has brought a staggering number of positive things to the world, it has also brought a number of harms. The principal problem is that it is largely unregulated. There is no authority figure on the internet. Nobody owns it. Altough this is not necessarily a bad thing, there is definitely a need for greater regulation. The author calls for a Magna Carter for the web, to make our society a safer one, especially for our children. The author also makes a very salient point. The internet was largely designed and developed by men. This is one particular reason why things like porn and dangerous weapons are so easily accessible online. If the internet had been designed by women it would probably look very different. As great as the web is, there is certainly a need for more restrictions and regulations for what people can search for. This is particularly true for young children. We must as a society stand firm and ensure that the web does not endanger children above all else. The author gives a brief but informative introduction to Cyberpsychology below.

Future crimes

There's an excellent book out now by author Marc Goodman entitled "Future crimes". As you can probably infer, the book addresses the major cybersecurity threats we can expect to encounter in the future. Meticulously researched and well articulated, the book adroitly investigates the evolution of the internet over the past decade or so and analyses the major security threats that we now face. It then explores how digital technology is likely to evolve in the years to come and the types of cyber risks that this will impose. The premise of the books is that because we are now more connected and dependent on the web than ever before, we are also more vulnerable than ever. According to Goodman, businesses may be on track to invest nearly $100 billion on cybersecurity by 2017. Incidentally, China is allegedly responsible for over 40% of all cyber attacks globally, although the Chinese government vehemently denies this. Iran and Russia also pose formidable threats in this capacity i.e. an Iranian hacker group called 'Sword of Justice' launched a major cyber attack on Saudi oil company Aramco in 2012, causing enormous damage. 
One of the most acerbic points that the book makes is that when it comes to the likes of Google and Facebook, YOU are the product, not the customer! The sheer vastitude of data that these companies are collected on each one of us is mind-boggling. This is the core value proposition that these companies make to their advertisers - "We know a huge amount about who your customers are and what they want". Google records absolutely every single thing you search for and tailors your search results based upon your previous search history. Data is the new oil as the saying goes. This has led to an upsurge in data surveillance or "dataveillance", to use the parlance now in vogue. The problem with this is that the more data we produce, the more cyber criminals are willing to consume. As we allow more of our personal data to go online, we leave ourselves increasingly vulnerable. The web could potentially become an all-knowing panopticon or as the books phrases it, "Big data equals Big brother". 
The book carefully examines the role that the likes of Bitcoin is playing in facilitating the Dark net and also explores how we can protect ourselves from online criminals. "Future crime" is a real eye-opener and rather shocking in places. However, the author remains cautiously optimistic that with due diligence we can keep ourselves safe from cyber threats of the future. He also provides a list of detailed recommendations at the end of the book on how to do this i.e. update software frequently, use unpredictable passwords, only download from official (legitimate) sites, encrypt your data and switch off your PC when you are not using it. This book is utterly essential reading for anyone who wants a strong grasp of cybersecurity. Strongly recommended!

The robot-run lab of the future

One of the defining characteristics of our time is the beautiful synergy between science and technology. One specific example of a company that has tapped into the enormous potential in this area is Counsyl. Counsyl is a US-based company that specialises in automated DNA screening. Robots are at the heart of the operation of genetic testing. Not only does this make for much more efficient productivity, it also brings down the costs of testing your DNA. As the video illustrates, this is only just beginning. This area promises some very exciting developments in coming years. Genomics will become a hugely lucrative area in the coming years and robotics may facilitate the growth.

Microsoft acquires LinkedIn

Several days ago, the startling announcement was made that Microsoft has closed a deal to acquire LinkedIn for a crisp $26.2 billion. For many years Microsoft has expressed a keen interest in Social Media. Nonetheless, the acquisition of LinkedIn still came as a huge surprise to many of us. Not only does the LinkedIn acquisition represent the largest acquisition in Microsoft's purchasing history, it also constitutes a significant foray into the digital spectrum on Microsoft's part. For many years now, Microsoft has been rebranding itself as something other than a traditional software company. Acquiring LinkedIn will enable Microsoft to make an aggressive move into Social Media. The consequences from this move will be colossal. Just how will LinkedIn rebrand itself now? Will job search as we know it change significantly now? Or will it remain the same? Will Microsoft offer new LinkedIn certifications in the same vein as Microsoft Office certifications? Perhaps. Then again, perhaps not. Perhaps Microsoft understands the cardinal rule "If it's not broke, don't fix it." Perhaps Microsoft may allow LinkedIn to continue unchanged with perhaps only a subtle rebranding of its corporate image. Only time will tell. Either way, we can be guaranteed of one thing. This acquisition will have massive consequences for all digital media companies. Microsoft could once again become the number one player within this domain. This article on the Wall Street journal is worth reading to glean insights on the subject.

IoT security challenges

As we progress day by day into the Internet of Things, our greatest challenge is protection of confidential data. Recently, data security breaches like the one at parenting retailer Kiddicare have sent waves of panic through the market. No security infrastructure yet devised is infallible and hackers are becoming exceptionally good at infiltrating high-security online databases. As the volume of data going online increases, the battle over privacy and security will intensify. So far, there doesn't appear to be a win-win solution to this huge challenge of consumer data protection. However, one potential ray of hope is the trend towards using open source and companies understanding that they need pool their security burden by inviting in third parties to assist. By inviting in others to help, we could potentially create a neighbourhood watch type of system that would add greater protection to system vulnerabilities. Whatever the future holds, encryption systems will need to become much more sophisticated to keep confidential data secure. The video below is worth watching to get an understanding of the future development of security and privacy. One of the ideas bounced around in this discussion is that tech is the problem and human beings are the solution, rather than the other way around! Any effective solutions we come up with will be the product of human ingenuity rather than technological reliability.

Is Apple in trouble?

It was bound to happen, but now it’s official. Apple shares opened at $96, down 8 percent compared to yesterday’s closing price of $104.35. Some investors are saying Apple is in serious trouble. Others think that this merely constitutes a minor ripple in the pond. Let's be clear about one thing, Apple is a highly lucrative company, currently valued at approximately $539 billion. However, it's unclear what is next for the colossal technology firm. The short video below raises some interesting questions about where Apple is at right now. The next year will prove critically important in terms of how Apple directs its future research and focus. Apple could continue to dominate the market or it could rapidly lose market share to competitors. Time will tell.

Satellite photography

One area of technology that has made extraordinary advances in recent years is satellite imaging. Satellite technology has received enormous investment from governments all over the world over the years. Like other aspects of space exploration technology, satellite imaging technology has not been without its critics. However, the sheer power of satellite imaging has awed millions of people all over the world to such an extent that few have stopped to question where the technology will lead to. In recent years, detectives have made good use of satellite photography to solve crimes and apprehend criminals, as this article on the BBC illustrates. Satellite photography has been used by the CIA and other intelligence services organisations for decades to keep tabs on subversive activity. There is no question about the fact that satellite photography has reaped extraordinary dividends in fighting crime and terrorism. But it raises a very important question about privacy. 

Don't we all deserve the right to privacy and data protection? How will we possibly have any privacy in the future if satellites can photograph us wherever we happen to be in the world, every minute of every day? Could satellite technology bring about an Orwellian superstate in which we are monitored by Big Brother constantly? The notion of having an all-seeing god-like satellite in outer space monitoring our every move is unsettling to say the least. Yet few of us would ever wish to go back to living in a world in which satellite technology did not exist. Technology must march forward and harness every single opportunity. But it is critically important that we continue to think long and hard about privacy protection as we develop satellite technology. Privacy and data protection and fundamental human rights that nobody has any right to breach. This is not an easy problem to resolve, but it is one that must be treated with due diligence. The short video gives a brief outline of the kinds of images that NASA satellites can obtain.