PrivacyGroup

This page is an effort to maintain an updated collection of important work on privacy.

Questions To Answer

general place to put largish, privacy-related questions

• What are the different varieties of privacy? (To be addressed soon in a meeting on Topics in Differential Privacy, see calendar).
• How much can a person at various levels of authority access of email sent from/to a University of Arizona email account? The rumor is that a lot can be accessed by a lot of people.

Calendar

Events in this calendar are links to readings on differential privacy. <EventCalendar> namespace = PrivacyGroup_Event aspectratio = 1.35 </EventCalendar>

Tools help

browser tools

• RequestPolicy (By Justin Samuel and Beichuan Zhang, of University of Arizona!)
• NoScript (I prefer the version without trackers lists -- latest I have is 2.6.9.x)
• PrivacyBadger (EFF)
• Self-Destructing Cookies
• HTTPS Everywhere (EFF)
• BetterPrivacy (removes LSO's -- supercookies -- which survive normal cleaning of cookie cache) NEW

other tools

• installing the latest GPG
• secure SSH
  • Using gpg-agent instead of ssh-agent NEW
• dns leak test -- Test whether you're leaking DNS information while on your VPN, and fix it NEW

various

• you broke the internet, we'll build a gnu one
• EPIC privacy-related tools
• PrivacyPal, Automated Privacy Policy Parsing
• RAPPOR for privacy-preserving stats
• Surveillance Self Defense (EFF)

Additional Sources

why care about privacy?

• DoNotTrack documentary
• Why privacy matters
• Maciej Ceglowski's excellent talk
• it could happen to you, congress NEW

giving up privacy

• Americans say they want privacy, but act as if they don't
• The End of Privacy on NPR
• Atlantic article on an Arizona man whose anti-privacy views lead him to share everything, including passwords to email, banks, etc.
• Londoners give up their first born in agreeing to privacy policy

how universities can help

• boingboing on online privacy and libraries
• NSF "Dear Collegue" letter on privacy-related research
• Tor exit nodes list. Note the universities hosting!

miscellaneous

• Head of FTC won't use fitbit b/c of privacy worries NEW
• Whoops, CISA included in budget bill NEW
• List of printers that produce tracking dots
• ProtectionOfHumanSubjects
• Ai Weiwei, Privacy, and the future of surveillance
• Privacy Bibliography
• police and drone use in Baltimore
• U.N. Report on Encryption as a right. "... [T]he present report examines two linked questions. First, do the rights to privacy and freedom of opinion and expression protect secure online communication, specifically by encryption or anonymity? And, second, assuming an affirmative answer, to what extent may Governments, in accordance with human rights law, impose restrictions on encryption and anonymity?"
• CMU study supports that Google cannot police abuse of its ad system, resulting in violation of privacy
• CEO of Hacking Team interviewed on BusinessInsider:

BI: How would you respond to claims Hacking Team's tools help governments infringe on citizens' privacy?

DV: In the digital age, criminals and terrorists take full advantage of the secrecy provided by the Internet, encrypted communications over mobile and fixed devices and Internet services such as Tor to conduct crime. Each of us runs the risk of becoming a victim of fraud, extortion or worse because of this situation. There are examples of crime every day, such as the theft of financial data, that have a direct impact on both consumers and business. Law enforcement must have a way to do what it has always done, that is to track criminals and prevent or prosecute crime. With the development of global terrorism and especially the ‘lone wolf’ terrorist, this requirement is even more important. Hacking Team has helped fight crime by providing a surveillance tool to law enforcement. The company believes this is a small step toward a more secure world for all who wish to used the Internet and digital tools lawfully.