Facebook and Phone Numbers: Money Is Money
November 27, 2018
There are two ways to log into Facebook. One is to use your email address and the other is to use your phone number. People tend to remember their phone numbers over which email they use for Facebook. Facebook also uses phone numbers as a security feature, so it is not surprising that people use it as their primary login. One of the problems with that is Facebook has sold that piece of information. According to WND’s article, “Facebook Confirms Giving Advertisers Users’ Phone Numbers.”
Facebook confirmed that it allowed advertisers to access users’ phone numbers and contact lists. The social media company’s defense is that by allowing advertisers to access user information, they are creating a more personalized Facebook experience that includes ads. Facebook said:
“ ‘We are clear about how we use the information we collect, including the contact information that people upload or add to their own accounts.’ In a Gizmodo report published Wednesday, two studies found that the social network was giving advertisers access to data sources that users did not explicitly permit could be used.”
Does it really come as a surprise that a billion dollar company sold consumer information for a higher profit margin? If it does, then you really need to do some reading and research. Facebook does not care about relationships and communication. They care about the bottom line. Is Facebook really as secure as we hope to believe it? Also we can thank them for the recent rash of spam calls on cell phones. Ah, Facebook. We admire your business acumen.
Whitney Grace, November 27, 2018
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What Is Fake News, Fake Data, and Fake Expertise?
November 27, 2018
Now, we’re not going around saying things like fake news, but we are deeply concerned with the misreporting of third party numbers organizations like Gartner. It’s come to light that they might not be as accurate at tracking tech trends as they claim. We learned more from a recent Apple Insider story, “Gartner, IDC Were Both Wrong in Guessing Apple’s Q4 Shipping Mac Shipments.”
According to the report:
“Gartner reported that Apple had sold 4.928 million Macs in calendar Q3, while IDC issued a parallel report that credited Apple with sales of 4.762 million. That’s a difference between the two of 166 thousand Macs, something that should have already raised eyebrows. But Apple’s actual sales for the quarter were officially reported as 5.3 million. That means third-party “estimates” were off by as much as a double-digit percentage.”
This brings into question so many things that we take for granted. Each Wednesday we run Factualities. These items call attention to numbers generated as absolute truth. Yeah.
Patrick Roland, November 27, 2018
DarkCyber for November 27, 2018, Now Available
November 27, 2018
DarkCyber for November 27, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/302658825.
This week’s program covers four stories related to the Dark Web and specialized Internet services.
DarkCyber reports that another call for a backdoors to encrypted communications. Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan district attorney, emphasized that government mandated backdoors are the only solution to device encryption. DarkCyber provides a link to the government report which substantiates this statement. Australia has issued a similar statement. Even though encrypted devices can be broken open, the time and resources required are significant. With the growing number of mobile devices in use by bad actors, the number of phones requiring decryption has created an evidence backlog. Encrypted devices, therefore, pose a significant challenge to law enforcement and intelligence professionals.
The second story reveals that autonomous killer drone technology is advancing rapidly. An autonomous drone is able to find, fix, and finish a target. DarkCyber describes the Elbit Systems’ Skystriker device which is about 95 percent autonomous at this time. Full autonomous operation is within view.
Other countries are working on similar technology. DarkCyber identifies autonomous sea going devices which can neutralize a target without a human in the kill chain. DarkCyber’s view is that countries without autonomous warfighting will find themselves at a strategic disadvantage.
The third story reports that facial recognition allowed 130 victims of child abuse to be identified by Dutch authorities. Mug shot image recognition and matching can perform at an accuracy level of about 90 percent. However, facial recognition from real time video feeds like surveillance cameras pose a more difficult problem. Accuracy rates for video identification can dip below 60 percent. Nevertheless, facial recognition technology is advancing rapidly with innovations from such firms as Boeing, Verint, and NSO. Startups are making significant technical contributions as well. Innovations from Trueface, Kairos, and PointGrab are likely to yield advances in recognition accuracy. DarkCyber provides links to two sources of information about facial recognition systems. One of these documents is a General Accountability Office report about facial recognition within the US government.
The final story describes an off tune Dark Web weapons deal. Three young men in England thought that buying Glock 19 firearms via the Dark Web was a foolproof scheme. Their idea was to specify that the weapons were shipped inside of an amplifier for an electric guitar. US and UK authorities identified the contraband and placed a video camera in the parcel. When the men received their delivery, the event was captured on video. The investigation yielded cash and narcotics. The individuals are now serving eight years in prison. It is unlikely that the amplifier is delivering Elvis’ hit “Jailhouse Rock” to the felons.
DarkCyber appears each Tuesday on the blog Beyond Search and on Vimeo. Watch for new programs each week at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress.
Kenny Toth, November 27, 2018
Thomson Reuters on a Privacy International Beat
November 26, 2018
I know that commercial database publishers can be profitable operations. But in order to keep pace with erosion of some traditional revenue streams, some professional publishers have been working to generate new databases which can be licensed to certain government agencies. In most cases, a researcher or librarian will not have these electronic files in their toolkit.
Privacy International published “Who Supplies the Data, Analysis, and Tech Infrastructure to US Immigration Authorities?” The report is available without charge, but I suggest that you download it promptly. Certain reports about some topics can go offline without notice.
I don’t want to dig through the references to references to Palantir. The information about that company is not particularly fresh. However, Privacy International has gathered some useful examples of Thomson Reuters’ products and services to law enforcement and other government agencies.
Privacy International seems unaware that many LE and intel entities routinely outsource work to third part, license a wide range of numeric and factual data, and tap into the talent pools at third party firms.
The Privacy International report does not provide much information about Thomson Reuters’ use of the Palantir technology. That might be an interesting topic for some young researcher to explore. We will do a short item about some of the Privacy International information in the DarkCyber for December 11, 2018.
Stephen E Arnold, November 26, 2018
Jeopardy Game Show Winner Now Writing Lexus Commercials
November 26, 2018
Do you have a son or daughter graduating from college next year. Perhaps a future as a game show winner is a good use for the thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours immersed in the college experience?
That’s a career path IBM Watson followed. Since winning the Jeopardy game show (complete with post production), Watson has a real job.
Watson is now writing TV commercials. Well, one commercial for Lexus if the information in “New Lexus ES Commercial Written Entirely by Artificial Intelligence” is accurate.
The idea is that Watson cranked out a script, worked with a human to shoot footage, and craft what the write up calls a “strangely compelling” chunk of Mad Ave art. Check out the non linear messaging for a new Lexus at this link.
Check it out for yourself.
Oh, and about your college graduate who wants to move from the game show to the zippy world of making TV commercials: There’s hope.
The commercial is another attempt by IBM to get some revenue juice into its over hyped Watson technology. Maybe your college grad could skip Jeopardy and just apply for a position at IBM. Help is needed it appears.
Stephen E Arnold, November 26, 2018
Facebook: Learning about Cricket As Played by Parliament
November 26, 2018
I say when one learns cricket, the first concept to grasp is:
When you’re in you’re out; and when you’re out, you’re in.
Jolly good, right?
The British parliament is now playing cricket against Facebook, not India, not Pakistan, and not the quite acceptable Aussies.
Its Parliament versus the high school science club, once in search of companionship.
Facebook is going to have companionship going forward. Cricket matches can last longer than clicking through a Facebook item on a mobile phone.
The scope of the match has been sketched in broad outlines in “Parliament Seizes Cache of Facebook Internal Papers.”
The idea is to put a top bowler on the field versus the youthful geniuses who have sparked some controversy about Brexit, Trump, Russian disinformation, and other other sleeping policemen on the information highway.
The write up mentions that the trove of data includes “confidential emails between senior executives and correspondence with Zuckerburg.”
Yes, email, that omnipresent method of communication which often leaves some buggers gobsmacked.
The motivation for the document seizure was:
MPs leading the inquiry into fake news have repeatedly tried to summon Zuckerberg to explain the company’s actions. He has repeatedly refused. Collins said this reluctance to testify, plus misleading testimony from an executive at a hearing in February, had forced MPs to explore other options for gathering information about Facebook operations.
Will these documents become public? Facebook will try to throw a spanner in the works. Abso-bloody-loot-ly.
Will this slow the speed of the cricket ball? No. But Facebook will try to block because a full blooded swing might allow the bouncer to strike the Facebooker in the twigs and berries.
Can anoraks with gray T shirts be considered proper uniforms?
Stephen E Arnold, November 26, 2018
Unstructured Data: Hey, Smart Software Is Supposed to Help
November 25, 2018
I read “5 Critical Steps for Identifying the Value in Your Unstructured Information.” The points in the write up are fine. In fact, anyone who has worked with unstructured data in the form of emails, tweets, Facebook posts, intercepts, etc. knows that a lot of work is required.
My problem with the write up in Datanami is that smart software keeps its nose tucked under the covers. I thought that smart software was able to perform collection (er, that’s a step not included in the list of five steps but let’s move on).
Smart software is supposed to discover important information. That’s fine but what is the process for configuring the smart software, checking to make sure that the system outputs useful or semi useful data, and presents it in a form which does not trigger another wave of manual effort? There are some systems which perform discovery; however, like today’s driverless autos, a human has to have his or her hands on the wheel. Otherwise a dead pedestrian or a dead driver can be an outcome. I recall a Tesla nuked a white truck because its LIDAR thought the truck was a cloud. Yeah, right.
The reality is that generalizations about what’s is required to make sense of unstructured data are only marginally useful. Anyone licensing a smart system from outfits like IBM, Palantir, BAE Systems, Textron, etc. must be prepared for the surprises which luck in the software.
For instance:
- Much of the work is manual. How does data get into Palantir Gotham?
- Setting up the system is iterative work. Have you ever heard about tuning?
- Creating and enforcing procedures for keeping data clean and happy is work. Automatic feeds and real time flows are super, but what happens when high value data is filtered and put in an exception folder?
- Analysis is work that needs a trained, attentive, subject matter expert. Who makes sense of the puzzle pieces and assembles them?
The real world requires that magic be confined to children’s books. Using the tools available today do not eliminate the need for manual work.
Smart software is a knee brace. The human has to carry the load. Omitting this reality creates false expectations and puts lives at risk or decision making in a higher risk setting. Smart software can do some functions well. Not all functions are smart.
Stephen E Arnold, November 25, 2018
Zuck Ducks: Not Going to Answer Questions from Seven Annoyed Nations
November 24, 2018
I read “Mark Zuckerberg criticized for Ducking International Grilling on Fake News.” Hey, that sounds like a fun time. According to the write up:
Ian Lucas, a Labor MP who sits on the committee, called the move a “gross failure of leadership”, adding: “It seems [Mr Zuckerberg] is just not up to it.”
I like that “not up to it.”
My thought is that Facebook staff going through border controls in the UK, Singapore, Latvia, Brazil, Ireland, and Argentina could possibly face some bureaucratic snafus. Full body searches, luggage cut apart to make sure there is no contraband in the bags. Questions about reasons for travel. Standard stuff. Just routine.
Those probing questions are important because some answers which raise inspectors’ concerns must be explored. Small rooms. No mobile phones. No reading materials. No inputs for what could be several hours. No access to toilet facilities. Awkward but necessary. Some rules apply to Facebookers in spite of their perception of regulations.
Is it possible that red tape could be unrolled for Facebook professionals who want government approval for certain activities, who need to sign up for permits, or who must interact with officials in any of these countries on an official basis? Argentina is almost as capable as France in the bureaucratic procedures department? Come to think of it, Singapore is into rules and darned good at procedures. Most of the countries getting the zuckduck are. ‘
Wowza.
At some point, patience with Facebook is likely to dwindle. I know that Facebook is almost a country. It has cash. It has friends. It has moxie. Will these strengths be enough to deal with the consequences of using the zuckduck tactic? Countries have laws, regulations, police, and intelligence agents. Countries can be convincing in many ways.
Many, many ways.
Perhaps the “grilling” will be escalated by the politicians who wanted a Zuckerburger? What’s next? A fried zuck weenie or a zuck-jita nuked nuked in the political microwave. The time could be set four hours. Maximum strength, of course.
Tasty when served piping hot like Facebook’s admission that the duplicity documented in a recent New York Times’ article about the company were mostly correct.
Ah, high school science club thinking in action.
Stephen E Arnold, November 24, 2018
Grousing about the Google: Grouse, Grouse
November 23, 2018
Some people cannot accept the reality of Alphabet Google. If you had the pleasure of Psychology 101, you know about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (A refresher is here.) Google is an entity focused on “self actualization.” For a company run by wizards that translates to doing what generates maximum benefits for the Alphabeteers and Googlers. Example? Money, power, freedom to do whatever seems cool to former high school science club members.
Foundem, a company which found itself on the outside of Google search results, has been a thorn in the online ad giant’s muscular thigh for years.(For some background, click this link.) Foundem is involve in searchneutrality.org, a Web site which makes available information about certain actions of Alphabet Google which allegedly are not fair.
As a reminder, acting in one’s self interest is probably at odds with some thinkers’ definitions of “fair.” The concept of search neutrality is of little interest to some people in the information retrieval game. Example: people engaged in search engine optimization, a Google ad sales professionals clawing for a bonus, and marketers who explain that the Pixel 3 is “new” and “improved” despite some Pixel owners’ complaints.
Seachneutrality.org made public a letter sent to the EU’s top enforcement official, Margrethe Vestager. The contents of the letter are easy to summarize:
Google is discriminating against companies with which it competes.
The notion of search neutrality is quaint. You can look at the Wikipedia explanation of the concept, which is different from my understanding of the bound phrase. Objectivity, precision, recall, and freedom from bias are outmoded concepts when it comes to ad supported Web search.
Google wants clicks and sales. Maslow’s hierarchy suggests that the iPhone is going to come up short in queries for mobile devices. Remember the Pixel? In companies with logical employees, taking steps to make sure that their employer comes out number one makes sense. That’s why Alphabet Google logic is difficult for some to accept. Example: Foundem, the EU, and Ms. Vestager.
The notion of objectivity in search results bit the dust when “pay to play” replaced the hopelessly ineffective editorial controls in place at commercial database publishers in the 1980s. The elimination of precision and recall in favor of hit boosting made more sense. Goodness. I rolled right over when VP Cheney wanted his Web site to appear when queries for the White House were sent to the US government’s search system in the 2000s.
There are some hold outs for objectivity. Example: The Lexis search system. But even in that commercial service some content does not appear for various reasons. Therefore, the results are incomplete or incorrect because errors in stories are not inserted into the online content. I suppose, if I were not understanding, I would suggest that commercial online information is both incomplete and inaccurate. Business Dateline, a product on which I worked decades ago, included corrections, but we selected the stories to go into the database. That meant that Business Dateline was accurate and incomplete.
You can see where I am headed.
Online is not and never will be free from distortions. These can be algorithmic because Boolean is irrelevant to many today. These can be editorial like the construction of the online indexes and full text files themselves. These can be willful like Amazon’s slamming in its house brands and crazy suggestions for products which will be shipped for an eye popping fee.
Now open letters are cathartic. The letter may result in another fine against a US based company focused on money, power, etc. But let’s be clear. Facebook does not want to pay a fine for its Cambridge Analytica adventure. Apple may reluctantly cough up some taxes in Ireland. Google might write a check and move on.
But the impact is negligible.
The reason is the beaver analogy. What happens if I take six beavers and put them in the little used restaurant at the top of the Chrysler Building in Manhattan? The beavers immediately begin to build a dam. Beavers do what beavers do.
Net net: American technology giants do what American technology giants do. These outfits will make decisions that sever their need for self actualization. In my lingo, self actualization is the money power thing.
What organization has the muscle to put Alphabet Google in a box and keep it there?
In my view, it will not be a government official. Whom do you nominate as the keeper of Googzilla? When you have “foundem”, let me know.
Stephen E Arnold, November 23, 2018
Ah, Facebook: High School Science Club Management in Action
November 23, 2018
In my high school, a person who did not relate to the math and science clubs’ superior humans might find their class notes defaced or something interesting in one’s locker.
I learned that “Facebook admits targeting George Soros after he criticized company.” Mature. I noted that the lean in executive Sandberg has revealed that the Definers relationship “crossed her desk.” Wait. I thought she did not know about hiring this outfit. I suppose the Washington Post is mistaken in its Switch column. Mistakes happen.
But that action was not the surprise I experienced when I read “Facebook Appeals Data-Sharing Fine ‘For Your Sake.” Nifty angle. “My sake.”
Stephen E Arnold, November 23, 2018
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