Belated Recognition: Barn Burned, Intelligence Costco Operating
December 18, 2019
Amnesty International has described the “Architecture of Surveillance.” Quick out of the gate?
Concerns about privacy and the ways in which large tech companies use and profit off user data have been more and more in the news lately. A recent report by Amnesty International goes so far as to say Facebook and Google, in particular, maintain a “surveillance-based business model.” Common Dreams discusses the report in its article, “Unprecedented ‘Architecture of Surveillance’ Created by Facebook and Google Poses Grave Human Rights Threat: Report.” Writer Andrea Germanos summarizes:
“With Facebook controlling not only its eponymous social media platform but also WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, and Google parent company Alphabet in control of YouTube and the Android mobile operating system as well as the search engine, the companies ‘control the primary channels that people rely on to engage with the internet.’ In fact, the report continues, the two companies control ‘an architecture of surveillance that has no basis for comparison in human history.’ … The companies hoover up user data—as well as metadata like email recipients—and ‘they are using that data to infer and create new information about us,’ relying in part on artificial intelligence (AI).The report says that ‘as a default Google stores search history across all of an individual’s devices, information on every app and extension they use, and all of their YouTube history, while Facebook collects data about people even if they don’t have a Facebook account.’ Smart phones also offer the companies a ‘rich source of data,’ but the reach of surveillance doesn’t stop there.”
In fact, the reach now extends into homes via AI assistants like Alexa and devices connected to the internet of things. It also extends through public spaces courtesy of smart city implementations. All of this has crept upon us gradually and, largely, with the full cooperation of the subjects being surveilled (a.k.a. “users”), whether they fully understood what they were signing up for or not. The connections and conclusions algorithms can draw from all this information is mind-boggling even to someone who writes about data and AI for a living. See the article for a more in-depth discussion of the possibilities and repercussions.
Because the big tech companies are not going to stop these lucrative practices on their own, Amnesty International insists governments must step in. Companies must stop requiring users to surrender all rights to their data in order to use their services, for example, and the right to not be tracked must be enshrined into law. Transparency is also to be required, and companies mustn’t be allowed to lobby for weakened protections. Society has gone so far down the digital road that opting out of an online existence is simply not a workable option for most—that’s just not how it works anymore. But will it be possible to hold the big techs’ feet to the fire, or have they become too powerful?
Cynthia Murrell, December 18, 2019
From the Home of Evil Corp.: Streaming Demons Stir the Pot
December 17, 2019
DarkCyber spotted this write up: “Russia’s 3rd-Largest Internet Company Is Suing Twitch for $3 Billion, Wants It Banned in the Country.” The story asserts that Rambler Group, which figures in other interesting activities, is:
planning to sue the Amazon-owned streaming site for 180 billion rubles ($2.82 billion) in a Russian court. It claims that Twitch breached its exclusive broadcast rights to Premier League games more than 36,000 times between August and November. The company also seeks a permanent ban on Twitch in Russia.
DarkCyber recalls stories about Evil Corp.; for example, this one: “‘Evil Corp’: Feds Charge Russians in Massive $100 million Bank Hacking Scheme.” That write up reported:
“Evil Corp.,” a name reminiscent of the nickname for the key malevolent corporation in the popular television drama “Mr. Robot,” is “run by a group of individuals based in Moscow, Russia, who have years of experience and well-developed, trusted relationships with each other,” according to a Treasury Department press release. The criminal group used a type of malware known as “Dridex,” which worked to evade common anti-virus software and spread through emailed phishing campaigns.
Bookends, peanut butter and jelly, or ham and eggs?
These two alleged legal actions raise a number of questions:
- Which is more evil? Stealing soccer broadcasts or individual’s money?
- Why aren’t certain content types just blocked? China seems to be reasonably adept at filtering?
- Will soccer fans stop looking for low cost pirate streams or will gamers give up on Amazon Twitch because of a legal action?
- Who is behind pirated content? (Some of the key players may be a surprise, DarkCyber believes.)
Worth monitoring these symmetrical legal actions? Yep.
Stephen E Arnold, December 17, 2019
Bye-Bye Apple Store Reviews And Ratings
December 17, 2019
Apple makes products which inspire some to loyalty. Apple believes it knows best too.
Some believe the Mac operating system is superior to Windows 10 and Linux in virus protection, performance, and longevity.
Is Apple perfect? Sure, to a point. But the company can trip over its own confidence. One good thing about Apple is that it is known for good customer service, acceptance of negative feedback, and allowing customers to review and rate products on the Apple Store. In an business move inspired by Apple’s changing of its maps in Russia, the Apple Insider states that, “Apple Pulls All Customer Reviews From Online Apple Store.”
On Apple’s online retail stores, all of the user review pages have been removed from the US, Australian, and UK Web sites. Apple has been praised for its transparency and allowing users to post negative reviews on the official Apple store. If Apple makes this a a business practice, it could lose its congenial reputation.
Apple Insider used the Wayback Machine and discovered that the reviews were pulled sometime between the evening of November 16 and morning of November 17. Despite all of Apple’s negative reviews, the company can withstand a little negativity and does not even pay attention to many of them:
“A YouTube video offered as part of the tip was published by the popular photography account, Fstoppers, titled “Apple Fanboys, Where is your God now?” In the video, the host reads a selection of negative reviews of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with the video published on November 16, coinciding with the removal of the website feature.
However, it remains to be seen if the video had anything to do with Apple’s decision to remove the reviews, given the 56 thousand page views at the time of publication doesn’t seem like a high-enough number for Apple to pay attention to the video’s content. Other videos have been more critical about the company’s products, and some with far higher view counts, but evidently Apple seemingly does not spend that much time involving itself with such public complaints.”
The fact is that Apple makes some $60,000 pro products and if just plain old people have problems, those happy buyers can visit Apple stores and search for a Genius to resolve them.
If Apple cannot fix the problems, a few believers might complain, move on, and then buy the next Apple product. Then the next one and the next and the next… Reviews are not necessary, right?
Whitney Grace, December 17, 2019
Omni Content: Big CMS Deal? Nope, SOP for OCCP
December 17, 2019
The struggles of content management continue. Like analytics platforms and enterprise search, vendors of certain types of enterprise software have struggled in the last five years.
The reasons are not far to seek:
- CMS, search, and analytics offer silver bullet solutions, but more frequently turn out to be blanks
- Zippier, more CxO grabbing technologies sweep up utility functions. There’s AI, quantum computing, the cloud, and umbrella solutions like Salesforce’s hybrid of sales management, marketing, and content
- Old wine in new bottles works until the corks are popped at a festive occasion. The stylish bottle and label cannot change vinegar back to Bordeaux.
“The Rise of Omni-Channel Content Platforms” is a rebottling effort. I urge you to read it and consider these questions:
- Why is CMS scrambling to be more than software originally designed to generate Web pages going back to the gym, signing up for yoga classes, and buying Pelotons? Answer: CMS does not work very well.
- What content is not included in the omni channel content platforms? Answer: Streaming data, engineering diagrams with attached data sets, and those lovely chemical structures which are much loved by the pharmaceutical industry, to name just three omissions.
- How are the New Age CMS systems dealing with specialized access controls required for some classified projects, legal eDiscovery data, and data regulated by various government entities? Answer: Not very well.
Can CMS vendors and consultants stage a revival? Will the jazz band attract paying customers to classics from the 2000s before Billie Eilish was making When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
The frightening, no, terrifying answer, may be, “Yes.” Like enterprise search, CMS stakeholders have more to lose to reinvent themselves. New labels, plastic corks, and high-style bottles are a much easier, cheaper, and simpler solution.
In short, CMS cheerleaders are buying new sweaters and sneakers. Game on.
Stephen E Arnold, December 17, 2019
DarkCyber for December 17, 2019, Now Available
December 17, 2019
Robert David Steele, a former CIA professional, learned about Stephen E Arnold’s blockchain research. Steele interviewed Stephen. This week’s DarkCyber is an extract of the original interview. You can access the video on Vimeo.
Kenny Toth, December 17, 2019
Build a Business on Google Technology” Maybe
December 16, 2019
We have found a resource that illustrates the folly of betting one’s business on free services from Google. The Google Cemetery shares an eye-opening chart of the “Average Product Lifespan of Google Products Before It Kills Them.” We learn that the Total Death Count, or number of products that have been discontinued, is 164. Also, according to data from AcquiredBy, Google has made a total of 212 acquisitions. The description states:
“Average product lifespan of Google products based on discontinued products listed on our website which were hacked to death by Google. Google has killed over 150 products since 2006. The average lifespan of a discontinued Google product is 4 years and 1 month.”
The chart simply lists the years from 2006 to 2019 and the number of products that were quashed each year. 2019 ties only with 2011 for the highest death toll at 25 canceled products. At the bottom the most “recent deaths,” with G Suite Training (2013-2019), YouTube Messages (2017-2019), YT for Nintendo 3DS (2013-2019), and Google Jump (2015-2019) currently displayed. Free can be great, but consider carefully and have a back up plan before choosing any free Google service.
Cynthia Murrell, December 16, 2019
5G: Service or Surveillance?
December 16, 2019
A newspaper with an interesting reputation may have revealed surveillance secrets. “5G Can Spy on You” restates assertions by a “vocal 5G critic.” DarkCyber noted these assertions, which if accurate, reveal why the technology has some professionals intrigued and possibly motivated to deploy the technology:
- 5G can listen to private conversations in homes
- The 5G devices now being deployed are “scanners”
- A single car can be subject to “target acquire” functions
- Analysis of microwaves makes it possible to digitalize a voice conversation
- A similar analysis allows an observer to see an image of a person in a home.
A single source article which references pickled vegetables with 5G technology may cause some to sniff. The question is, “Are these assertions accurate?”
Stephen E Arnold, December 16, 2019
Amazon Presentations: Reinvent December 2019
December 16, 2019
If you want to experience Amazon, you can access the presentations from the December 2019 Reinvent Conference. The presentations focus on the nuts and bolts of AWS, sessions from happy partners, and the mechanics of moving from Microsoft to the AWS platform. Some AWS information becomes difficult to find over time. For now, you can access “Amazon FSx for Windows File Server” at this link. There are five presentations about blockchain too. No links to policeware, intelware, or public sector applications.
Stephen E Arnold, December 16, 2019
Ancient Search Recipes: Bread Pork Chops
December 16, 2019
I noted a report in the Times of Israel titled “Cache of Crypto-Jewish Recipes Dating to Inquisition Found in Miami Kitchen.” One of the recipes explained how to make a pork chop from bread and milk. (Dairy? Guess so.) Here’s what you and I can whip up using this ancient recipe:
The cookbook contains information which the author “didn’t think to question the idiosyncratic customs her mother and grandmothers practiced in the kitchen.”
By coincidence, my news alert spit out this article in the same list: “The Growth of Cognitive Search in the Enterprise, and Why It Matters.”
Magic. Bread pork chops created from zeros and ones.
Search matters. Cognitive search matters more. Who buys? The enterprise.
The write up recycles the equivalent of the break pork chop formula. Mix jargon, sprinkle with the notion of federated data, and bake until the checks clear the bank.
The article is fascinating, and it overlooks a few milestones in the history of enterprise search. What for example? Glad you asked:
- Forrester, the Wave folks, has created a report for its paying customers which reveal that search is now cognitive, able to tap dark data, and ready for prime time. Again! The Wave returns.
- Big companies are into search, including Microsoft with its Fast inspired solution and Amazon Kendra with an open source how de doo to Elastic and LucidWorks. Some use old spices; others, open source flavoring with proprietary special seasonings.
- Outfits which have been around for more than a decade like Coveo are now smarter than ever in their decade long effort to pay off their patient investors
- Autonomy gets a nod despite the interesting trial underway in the UK.
The point is that enterprise search is going to be in the news whether anyone wants to revisit hyperbole which makes the chatter around artificial intelligence and quantum computing seem rational and credible.
Here’s a quick refresher about why untapped data in an organization is likely to remained untapped or at the very least not tapped by vendors of smart key word search systems:
First, data are in silos for a reason. No enterprise search system with which I am familiar can navigate the permissions and access controls required to put siloed data in one index. There’s a chance that the Amazon blockchain permissions system can deliver this, but for now, the patents are explanations and federated enterprise search is a sales pitch.
The Kinder, Gentler Google: Not Since 2006
December 16, 2019
A number of people spoke with me after my lecture in Washington, DC, last week. Surprisingly quite a few people had questions about the three Google monographs I wrote. These were published by an eccentric and now defunct British publishing house. The printed versions of my research are no longer available. One question, posed to me at lunch was, “When did Google stop being Googley?”
My answer was 2006. In that year, the last vestiges of Google’s friendly old self were under assault. Who and what changed the company? The answer is an easy one, “Quarterly expectations from Wall Street and the accelerating snowball of advertising revenues.”
For me, 2006 is the pivot year. When I read “Why NUKEMAP Isn’t on Google Maps Anymore,” I knew I had spotted a Google user who did not read my monographs. No surprise there. I recycle information developed for commercial clients, and my approach is best described as Okay, Boomer.
The article explains several insights the author obtained when using Google Maps and associated technology for what I would describe as a public service project; specifically, making clear the ground level impact of a nuclear explosion. There are atmosphere impacts as well, but these remain in the hands of nuclear effects modelers at specialized firms.
What did the write up’s author learn about the “new” Google. Here’s a selection of his somewhat painful discoveries:
- Google does not “care about” small developers. That is correct. Big money comes from big outfits. This applies to advertisers and to programmers. Why? Money is needed to keep the good ship Google afloat. Costs are rising like water in glacial lakes fed with snow melt.
- Google changes its mind. Well, not really. What happens is that Googlers want to hook on the hot and well funded projects, products, and services. Promotions and money go with winner projects. Without the best and the brightest, how can a product or service get better? Answer: Slowly or not at all.
- Google’s free products and services are going the way of cable television fees: Up and up. Why? Money.
I recommend the article. It contains a very important point:
Today there are perfectly viable alternatives.
That means Google faces more pressure than ever: Wall Street, rising costs, anti trust investigations, and developers who don’t want to be Googley.
Stephen E Arnold, December 16, 2019
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