Alexa Is Listening

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently addressed the United Nations. Those in attendance thought he was going to speak about Brexit. Instead, he delivered a remarkable (and entertaining) speech about how the Internet and related digital technology is leading us toward a potentially terrifying future. We will watch the first 6:11 of the speech from The Sun, a London newspaper. Questions...

•Is this speech brilliant or bonkers? Why?

•Is it true that the human race is losing control in the digital age? In what ways might digital technology make our lives worse?

•What does PM Johnson mean when he says you can keep secrets from your family or doctor, but it's very hard to keep secrets from Google?

•What is your reaction to the statement that "data is the crude oil of the modern economy?" How is your data being harvested for profit on a daily basis?

•How do you feel about the "Internet of Things" (everyday items that have a connection to the internet)?

•What can we do to make sure that PM Johnson's worst predictions do not come true?

My Refrigerator Is Squealing on Me!

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 classes in March 2018.

Your Humble Blogger recently purchased a GPS device for his bicycle. With it, he can not only record data and maps of his rides, he can also download data and maps of other people's rides. However, he began getting emails stating that he has turned in the 26th fastest climb on this hill or the 105th quickest trip along this route. This was a little unsettling since Your Humble Blogger never entered these competitions... but his bike computer did.

This NPR story looks at the privacy implications of smart devices. In light of this, would anyone want a smart bathroom?

Questions...

•Do you want to live in a smart house? Why or why not?

•What could a smart TV do for you? What could it do to you?

•How about a smart refrigerator?

•What smart devices would a life insurance company or a medical insurance company like to get data from?

•What would you like to automate in your house? What things in your house would you like to operate remotely?

Eurofornia

Californians are perhaps a little more willing to accept European-style government regulations than, say, Texans. Furthermore, California is too big a market for companies to ignore, even if it isn't always the easiest place to do business. So it probably makes sense that California is at the forefront of Internet privacy laws. NPR reports.

Questions...

•If things go as planned, in 2020 we will know what companies know about us. Will this be an important right or a trivial one? Why?

•Why might this new law have an impact on your next refrigerator or home security system?

•Should we as Californians care that this law might add difficulty and expense for some Internet companies? Why might this be more of a concern in Northern California?

•Why do you think the big tech companies didn't just give big money to defeat the ballot measure?

•If you were CEO of a tech company that deals in consumer information, how would you want the new law to be crafted?