cypherspace 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (87)

• On the post: The Pulitzer Prize In Bullshit FUD Reporting Goes To… The Sunday Times For Its 'Snowden Expose'

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 15 Jun, 2015 @ 06:30am

  I strongly suspect this story is an attempt to CYA for any damage resulting from the OPM data breach. I realize this story is about British intelligence agents - and the data breach occurred within the US gov - but the US & UK work hand-in-hand on many issues + the people who eat this story up aren't going to think too critically about these points...

• On the post: Lawyers Threaten SomethingAwful For Using Photo In Movie Review

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 09 Jun, 2015 @ 04:12pm

  There is a stealth pun in the article title, in that the lawyers are threatening the site, and that the threat itself is "something awful"

• On the post: Senators Introduce Legislation Calling For Mandatory Data Collection On Police-Involved Shootings

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 08 Jun, 2015 @ 03:53am

  "Mandatory Data Collection"

  We all know how much our government likes to collect data on the population, so this shouldn't be too hard right?

• On the post: Mitch McConnell Pushing Bad Amendments To Block Any Useful Amendments On Surveillance Reform

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 01 Jun, 2015 @ 03:55pm

  There's a more pragmatic (not in a good way) side to it: any amendments would either send the bill back to the House and/or force a conference on this legislation.

• On the post: Senate Fails To Pass Both USA Freedom And PATRIOT Act Extension, Setting Up Possible Expiration Of Section 215

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 23 May, 2015 @ 08:27am

  Re: Shrug

  Just wear rubber lips!
  ...did I just really reference Batman & Robin? I think I'll go hide now.

• On the post: Senate Fails To Pass Both USA Freedom And PATRIOT Act Extension, Setting Up Possible Expiration Of Section 215

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 23 May, 2015 @ 08:25am

  Re: On top of that...

  Apparently Bob Menendez added this provision as a parting shot against the Administration for indicting him on corruption charges - which may or may not be retaliation for Menendez's support for more sanctions during the Iran nuclear negotiations. Better the elites fight with one another than we the people, I suppose...

• On the post: Paper Says Public Doesn't Know How To Keep Score In Privacy Discussion While Glossing Over Government Surveillance

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 23 May, 2015 @ 05:01am

  The author is Ben Wittes? More like Ben Wittless mirite?!

• On the post: Appeals Court Rightly Overturns NAACP's Successful Attempt To Censor Speech Via Trademark Law

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 20 May, 2015 @ 03:28pm

  The EFF and ACLU submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiff (Radiance). It's not as newsworthy as the ruling itself but it's further proof - as much as some groups refuse to acknowledge - that the ACLU will defend christians, conservatives, etc when their rights are infringed.

• On the post: UK Government Review Says Use Prizes, Not Patents, To Produce Much-Needed New Antibiotics

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 15 May, 2015 @ 03:51am

  A prize-based system would also completely short out patent trolls.

• On the post: UK Plans To Do Away With Free Speech… In The Name Of Free Speech

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 14 May, 2015 @ 03:55am

  Re:

  Orwell was just Eric Blair's pen name. Maybe you mean 1984 /pedantic

• On the post: These Clueless Politicians Are The Ones Determining If The NSA Gets To Keep Spying On All Of Us

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 11 May, 2015 @ 04:15am

  At Least He's Honest

  "...It would not end bulk collection of call data," McConnell said, referring to the provision of the Patriot Act that the NSA says justifies its bulk data sweeps.

  The only time pols are thoroughly honest with us is when we're going to be screwed over.

• On the post: DailyDirt: Braiiins… And Brain Implants

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 06 May, 2015 @ 06:15pm

  Better hope we don't go down the route of DX:HR with backdoored neural chips.

• On the post: New York Times Publishes Name Of CIA's Drone Strike 'Architect' While Other Media Outlets Pretend This Is Still Some Sort Of Secret

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 05 May, 2015 @ 04:21am

  While we're talking drones, a recent AP poll has found that a majority of Americans support the program. But as with any poll, the phrasing of the question affects the outcome:

  Kreps examined poll data and found that if respondents are confronted with evidence of errors and civilian casualties in some drone strikes, support for the strikes drops below a majority

• On the post: FBI Hands Over 5000 Pages Of Stingray Info To MuckRock, Redacts Nearly All Of It

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 02 May, 2015 @ 06:36am

  Re:

  Anyone else notice that the "B5 exemption" reads similarly to "BS exemption?"

• On the post: FBI Hands Over 5000 Pages Of Stingray Info To MuckRock, Redacts Nearly All Of It

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 02 May, 2015 @ 06:31am

  Re: Privileged

  #checkyourattorneyclientprivilege

• On the post: FBI Hands Over 5000 Pages Of Stingray Info To MuckRock, Redacts Nearly All Of It

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 02 May, 2015 @ 06:21am

  Re:

  Correction: Tim

• On the post: FBI Hands Over 5000 Pages Of Stingray Info To MuckRock, Redacts Nearly All Of It

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 02 May, 2015 @ 06:21am

  Mike, I think you need to have some sensitivity towards readers with psychological trauma over cell tower spoofers. You should put a "TRIGGERFISH WARNING" in your title!

• On the post: Law Enforcement's Cluelessness On Display In Congressional Hearing On Undermining Encryption

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 30 Apr, 2015 @ 08:24pm

  Re: On the bright side...

  Love his comments about how despite all of the NSA's secure systems they were foiled by a mere human.

• On the post: New Version Of USA Freedom Surveillance Reform Bill To Hit The House This Week

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 28 Apr, 2015 @ 03:49pm

  Bad Reform is Worse Than No Reform

  If a half-baked reform bill is made law, it's going to convince people wrongly that the problem is over, when at best it's just been painted over with a think veneer of reform. Check out the analysis by Marcy Wheeler - who is pretty convinced this is a gambit by Mitch McConnell.

• On the post: Senior Police Officer Suggests Companies Allowing People To Use Strong Crypto Are 'Friendly To Terrorists'

  

  cypherspace ( profile ), 27 Apr, 2015 @ 04:05am

  "We all love the benefit of the internet and all the rest of it, but we need [technology companies'] support in making sure that they're doing everything possible to stop their technology being exploited by terrorists. I'm saying that needs to be front and centre of their thinking and for some it is and some it isn't."

  Know what would help? NOT inserting vulnerabilities and going public with any exploits that are uncovered in < 48 hrs. Bruce Schneier said it best:
  

  We have a choice between an Internet that is vulnerable to all attackers, or an Internet that is safe from all attackers. And a safe and secure Internet is in everyone's best interests, including the US's

Next >>