Link Smorgasbord, September 9 - 15

Three-strikes laws do not reduce piracy: study
*gasp* Say it isn't so!

I'm sorry, was that too much sarcasm?  The system has so many flaws across the different implementations, including in actually catching infringement, and it never does to underestimate the power of bored computer geeks (plus everyone who simply doesn't consider what they're doing breaking copyright).  There are incredible misconceptions of copyright law, horrible attempts at 'scaring straight' the copyright breakers (seriously... can you actually watch the "You wouldn't steal a car" anti-piracy ads without laughing?  Also, why would I buy a pirated movie... doesn't that defeat the point?), and incredible abuses by corporate rights holders.  The US concept of "pop up warnings" is highly unsafe and a vector for malicious attacks (as if "Windows Antivirus" scams weren't enough).  That's before we get into the increasing expectation of access to home internet connections for work, school, motor vehicle registration, medical care, and more.

Take a look at the paper available for free download here.

Keeping data secret, even from apps that use it
This is really cool to me.  I'd love to read the paper even though it's probably completely over my head.

How to foil NSA sabotage: use a dead man switch
Interesting.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman: the first Decade
About Coraline, a creepy children's book.

Hundreds of Pages of NSA Spying Documents to be Released As Result of EFF Lawsuit
And related articles:
Did you murder someone?  Don't tell your lawyer over email
Attention getting title aside this is a serious article about a serious topic.  Client confidentiality is an important part of a number of fields, including doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, and more.  What happens to that when your data is stored online?

Rotten to the Core
Not that I was ever inclined to get an iPhone, nor ever particularly inclined towards most Apple products (never worth the money too me, and I like a computer I can disassemble), but I guess I have more things to go "ugh" about now.  To me there is a flavor of irony over this all considering Apple's famous 1984 themed advertisement (and both Jobs' and Wozniak's backgrounds as hackers and phone phreaks).
"Apple is a company that has succeeded in releasing numerous products that have redefined our technological society, and yet there is no indication that the Apple employees have particularly dwelled on the ethical or privacy implications of the new products they unveil. Touch ID has the potential to usher in a new era in which our biometric information becomes just another password, and this era has arrived not with debate but with a product announcement."
The Cost of Censorship in Libraries: 10 Years Under the Children’s Internet Protection Act
I am proud that my library does not use filters on our public computers, even if it means having to somewhat regularly tell patrons to stop watching porn.

Verizon's diabolical plan to turn the Web into pay-per-view
Think of what it would be like if Internet access was even more proprietary and like cable TV.  Not only would it be unpleasant, but it would server to increase the digital divide and runs counter to the whole idea behind the Internet in the first place.

Librarian Problems Tumblr
THIS.  ALL OF THIS.

E-ZPasses get read all over New York (not just at toll booths)
You know, I'm actually generally not happy when I find out my cynicism and paranoia is justified.  Also a bit too Little Brother for my taste

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