Reporter’s privilege: Technology increases difficulty of protecting sources and notes

Faulty computer security and their own inexperience with encryption pose problems for journalists in keeping their notes and sources from authorities. With the right surveillance technology, it is easy these days to gain access to reporters’ telephone, Skype, e-mails and instant messaging. -db From a commentary in the Columbia Journalism Review, January 9, 2012, by [...]

New government efforts to create ‘back doors’ said to threaten Internet freedom

Electronic Frontier Foundation’s senior technologist writes that government-mandated ‘back doors’ could seriously compromise the privacy of Internet users. -db Electronic Frontier Foundation Commentary September 27, 2010 By Seth Schoen The New York Times reported this morning on a Federal government plan to put government-mandated back doors in all communications systems, including all encryption software. The [...]

Blackberry dispute: Reporters Without Borders worried national security a pretext to censorship

Reporters Without Borders is concerned that in asking BlackBerry to provide access codes to governments, it will allow them to shut down free expression. -db MediaShift Commentary August 26, 2010 By Clothilde Le Coz Next week will be decisive for BlackBerry corporate users. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) could provide a solution to help [...]

Electronic Frontier Foundation sees BlackBerry ban as serious threat to privacy

The EFF staff technologist says that Middle East countries’ plans to block BlackBerry smart phones is a renewed and scary attempt by government to limit privacy tools afforded to the public. -db Electronic Frontier Foundation Commentary August 4, 2010 By Seth Schoen Recent news reports have presented somewhat contradictory analysis of government plans in the [...]