Editorials

A new Anonymous splinter group has hit the scene with a name that is sure to bring back bad memories for the authorities. The name as many of you might have heard is LulzSec Reborn. If the name is any indication it means that either some of the old members of LulzSec are back or people that were sympathetic to the LulzSec cause have reincarnated the name for their own purposes. The question is; regardless of who is behind this new group, what are the purposes.

Tim Cook’s recent visit to China has made more than a few headlines especially considering their position they are in right now. Not only do they have the world looking at them over issues at with Foxconn facilities, but they are also in a rather ugly legal battle with ProView over who actually owns the trademark name iPad. On the surface Cook’s visit is to discuss growth and expansion in China (which actually only means more money to Foxconn and the Chinese government). However, Cook is also more than likely there to try and squash the upstart ProView and a level higher than the Chinese court system.

The online privacy debate is heating up as we head into an election year in the US. So far we have watched as a handful of new legislation is talked about and data brokers, online services and others are asked for commentary on their practices. Of course, the real question is; will any of this matter or make it into law? As we have witnessed in the past, what congress asks for does not always happen and in fact many times it is dropped for unknown reasons.

Privacy is the big watch word these days. We are hearing more and more about how this app or that one gathers personal data or how Social media uses (or abuses) our personal information. We are even hearing the rumblings of congressional hearings on the subject with the US Congress demanding answers from a multitude of app providers on how they are addressing personal data privacy. It is a good thing that Congress is there to protect us… Oh wait, is this the same Congress that wants to enable internet monitoring and allow ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and corporations the power to collect and read all traffic that passes over their networks?