Category: Emergent Topics

Facebook data on 533 million users reemerge online for free – Los Angeles Times

Source: Facebook data on 533 million users reemerge online for free – Los Angeles Times

You’ve heard me speak about how people are documenting their sensitive information and lives on Social Media and how this can be used against them for social engineering, identity theft, etc. attacks.  I was able to quickly locate this trove of sensitive user information on the Deep Web.

Google’s Nest alarm system has a microphone, unknown to consumers – CBS News

Source: Google’s Nest alarm system has a microphone, unknown to consumers – CBS News

A few other notes and observations.  The microphone is not even listed in the device electronic schematics.  Google is a tech leader so what is the likelihood they just forgot to include this component?  Note, after this was revealed, Google allowed users to opt out and turn the microphone off  but in the EULA, users that turn the microphone off will no longer receive product updates (security patches, bug fixes, etc.).

Recommended watch: Harvard Prof Zuboff

Everything We Know About Facebook’s Secret Mood Manipulation Experiment – The Atlantic

Source: Everything We Know About Facebook’s Secret Mood Manipulation Experiment – The Atlantic

Facebook identified 2 main things in their research:

  1. They can influence and manipulate peoples ideas and moods both on and offline.
  2. They can do this without the users noticing the manipulation.