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NSA won’t collect phone location data, promises US government

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Are you concerned that the collection of phone location data is compromising your privacy? Have you heard that US intelligence agencies haven't been harvesting US residents’ geolocation data since last summer and won't be doing so in future investigations? What are your thoughts on this? Learn more:

Technology and Policymakers

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Technology should not be separated from policy; however, in reality there is very little intersection between the two. "Policymakers need to recognize this danger, and to welcome a new generation of technologists to help solve the socio-technical policy problems of the 21st century. We need to create ways to speak tech to power -- and power needs to open the door and let technologists in." Read more about this issue and how it can be remedied in a great Schneier on Security article:

Report: The Government and Tech Need to Cooperate on AI

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America’s national security depends on the government getting access to the artificial intelligence breakthroughs made by the technology industry.So says areportsubmitted to Congress on Monday by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.It also warns that AI-enhanced national security apparatus like autonomous weapons and surveillance systems will raise ethical questions. Learn more in an interesting Wired article:

Mozilla Urges Facebook and Google to Pause Political Ads

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The Mozilla Foundation and a group of rights groups and non-profits have penned an open letter to Facebook and Google urging them to halt political advertising until after the upcoming UK General Election due to concerns about disinformation, lack of transparency and the data that is being used to target these ads. What is your opinion on this? We'd love to have a discussion. Learn more:

Pentagon publishes AI guidelines

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As the specter of killer warrior robots looms large, the Pentagon has published a set of ethical guidelines for its use of artificial intelligence. It’s a document designed to guide the use of AI in both combat and non-combat military scenarios. Learn more about these guidelines for the use of AI:

Russia’s sovereign internet law comes into force

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The Russian government calls it the “sovereign internet” law and from 1 November it compels the country’s ISPs to forward all data arriving and departing from their networks through special gateway servers. What are your thoughts on this new form of government surveillance? Let's have a discussion. Learn more in a great Naked Security article:

Dark Web Site Taken Down without Breaking Encryption

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The US government has successfully taken down a dark web site without any encryption backdoors, demonstrating that backdoors in communications systems which compromise cryptography for everyone are not necessary to combat crime. Learn more in a great Schneier on Security article:

Attorney General Revives Feud With Tech Companies Over 'Warrant Proof' Encryption

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Security experts and lawmakers say that creating a “backdoor” to unlock devices and messages would make those products vulnerable to hackers. What are your thoughts on this? Duringa speech at a cybersecurity conferenceon Tuesday, Attorney General William Barr spoke out against the tech industry’s practice of using encryption tools that can only be unlocked by the end user, arguing that it endangers lives and makes it more difficult for law enforcement to do their jobs. Barr said that encryption can be a valuable tool when it comes to protecting information from cybercriminals. He objected, however, to tech companies’ refusal to create ways for law enforcement to access locked or encrypted devices when they are issued search warrants.