David Meyer

Are online platforms tools or privatised law enforcement?

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your jewel in the cuckoo's nest of digital rights news and analysis. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS PREPARING TO ABANDON the whole self-regulatory thing around takedowns of terrorist content. Per security commissioner Julian King, there hasn't been "enough progress" from the platforms, and "we cannot afford to relax or become complacent in the … Continue reading Are online platforms tools or privatised law enforcement?

David Meyer

Google, China and InfoWars: Online censorship hits the headlines

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your hadron in the collider of digital rights news and analysis. GOOGLE PULLED OUT OF CHINA EIGHT YEARS AGO over the country's censorship requirements and state-sponsored hacking. But now, according to multiple reports, the company is planning a return, with censor-friendly search and news aggregation apps being developed under a project codenamed … Continue reading Google, China and InfoWars: Online censorship hits the headlines

David Meyer

Good Apple

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your journey through the looking-glass of digital rights news and analysis. APPLE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE NEXT VERSION OF SAFARI will tell users when third parties are trying to track them through things like "like" and "share" buttons, and give them a simple way to block the tracking. And which tracker did … Continue reading Good Apple

David Meyer

The Facebook scandal and the decentralisation conundrum

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your hat in the ring of digital rights news and analysis. THANKS TO CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA AND FACEBOOK, the purpose of data protection seems to have finally broken through into the public consciousness this past week. Here are several factors that have made this particular scandal exceptional and potentially game-changing. 1. This is … Continue reading The Facebook scandal and the decentralisation conundrum

David Meyer

Dirty spying tools for dirty clients

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your jack in the box of digital rights news and analysis. Enjoy this newsletter? Forward it to a friend or get them to sign up. I'm David Meyer, aka @superglaze on Twitter and @davidmeyerwrites on Facebook. Don't forget to check out the Connected Rights website. Kaixo! THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF SUPPLYING surveillance equipment to the brutal … Continue reading Dirty spying tools for dirty clients

David Meyer

The hacking of net neutrality. Plus: My book, Control Shift, is finally on sale

WELCOME to Connected Rights, your ghost in the machine of digital rights news and analysis. First things first… I'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! It's called Control Shift: How Technology Affects Your and Your Rights, and you can buy it now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Adw7WF (That's the link to the US store – it's in the others too, in … Continue reading The hacking of net neutrality. Plus: My book, Control Shift, is finally on sale