BrokenHalo - Slashdot User

Submission + - Taking back control of your data from the NSA

Submitted by BrokenHalo on Saturday October 05, 2013 @10:25AM

BrokenHalo writes: This New Scientist article introduces an interesting MIT project as a "Private data gatekeeper stands between you and the NSA".

Developers Sandy Pentland and Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye claim OpenPDS (PDF) disrupts what NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden called the "architecture of oppression", by letting users see and control any third-party requests for their information – whether that's from the NSA or Google. Among other things, the Personal Data Store includes a mechanism for fine-grained management of permissions for sharing of data. Personally, I'm not convinced that what the NSA demands outright to be shared is as relevant as what they surreptitiously take without asking, but what do you think?

Submission + - Google floats balloons for free Wi-Fi

Submitted by BrokenHalo on Saturday June 15, 2013 @05:26AM

BrokenHalo writes: Google has revealed that it has 30 balloons floating over New Zealand in a project to bring free wi-fi to earthquake-stricken, rural or poor areas. Eventually, as the balloons move across the stratosphere, consumers in participating countries along the 40th parallel in the Southern Hemisphere could tap into the service. The technology will be trialled in Australia next year, possibly in Tasmania. If the latter happens to be true, then you'll probably hear the telcos' screams in New York.

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