SiliconANGLE » privacy

70% of Facebook Users Hate Timeline

Kristina Farrah — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:36:23 +0000

Roughly two months after releasing Timeline, Facebook announced that the update will shift from optional to mandatory sometime soon. My account automatically switched to the new look and I found it to my liking, so I worked around it and didn’t bother to switch back. If you waited to upgrade, or shifted back to the old look for whatever reason, then expect to be coerced to change over in a week or two.

But Facebook’s strategies and whims aside, what do people think about the new Facebook Timeline? To find out, Sodahead polled its users.

“Timeline is a massive visual and organizational overhaul that could potentially change the way Facebook is used. At a time when the media is already reporting a drop in U.S. membership, it seems like an incredibly risky move to make. We polled SodaHeads on the incorporation of Timeline to find out who likes it — if anyone.”

Unfortunately for Facebook, the result was frustration en masse. Only 20 percent of the respondents like Timeline and 70 percent wants Facebook to “lose it.” And despite Facebook’s massive reach, 10 percent of the poll participants don’t have a Facebook account.

Highlighting the susceptibility of youngsters to change, 30 percent of those ages 18-24 said they like Timeline, while only 10 percent of those over 65 years old enjoyed the new look. Age-wise, men and women have the same ration of like and dislike: 23 percent like, 70 percent like.

It’s not just Sodahead’s poll that amassed naysayers over the new Facebook Timeline. Security researcher Sophos also conducted a survey where 83.65 percent of the respondents gave the new look a thumbs down.

To alleviate public hysteria, Facebook releases yet another cool app called Timeline Movie Maker. It automatically analyzes your new Facebook profile to put together a 55-second movie with your Facebook history on it.

Facebook Timeline first went live in New Zealand on December 6, and it started to gradually spread across the world a week later. The new looks also comes with over 60 new apps categorized according to Music, New, Giving, Travel, Food, Shopping, Fashion etc., which brought Facebook a few more privacy concerns. Facebook justified that each app will require individual permissions to give users the liberty to share what they wish for a given application.

The Timeline objectors isn’t the only problem Facebook is facing. They’ve got a lot of work to do about their recent IPO, and there is an alleged Anonymous propaganda encouraging people all over the world to organize a worldwide internet blackout, initially targeting Facebook.

Moreover, Google is rubbing them the wrong way by showing Google+ data on Google’s search engine when Facebook thinks their social results are far more relevant. However, Facebook and Google aren’t entirely each other’s adversaries, as they band together along with 11 others to form an alliance called Domain-based Message Authentication (DMARC) to stop phishing attacks.

image credit: Reuters

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In the same vein:

Premiumize.me Now Delivers Anonymizing Proxy for Bitcoin Users

Kit Dotson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:11:30 +0000

German Bitcoin blog, BTC Base, recently interviewed Mika of Premiumize.me, an Internet anonymization proxy service that gives users the option to go online and secure their location from prying eyes. It does so via multiple servers around the world that act as exit-points for Internet traffic and they store very little distinct information about the people who use it (only enough to make certain that they route the data correctly and limit bandwidth.)

Premiumize.me has started taking Bitcoins as payment for services and aside from giving proxies that allow users to access sites that block by region (such as Hulu.com) they also provided services that allowed users to one-click upload/download to file sharing services such as the now-fallen Megaupload.

Also in that process, Premiumize.me protects the privacy and anonymity of users who upload to and download from those sites. This could become important in the future.

“Through our proxy system, our users are already protected very well,” explains Mika, talking about the “one-click-host” service that gives users access to cyberlocker sites via the anonymity proxy. “Downloads of One-Click-Hosters also always run on multiple servers. The host thus sees only the IP address of the server from the last proxy chain.

“Also with us are per user and per hour only a checksum. The first two digits of the IP address is stored and the accrued amount of data transferred per Hoster.”

Recently, cloud-storage and cyberlocker services have appeared in the media after the US raided and seized Megaupload’s assets but little attention has been given to the security of the customers using them. So far, the biggest concern is the number of people who had files uploaded to Megaupload may never see them again and many plan to sue the FBI and the US government for causing the forfeiture of their property. However, it’s well known that trade organizations like the RIAA and MPAA go after individuals as well as siccing governments on websites that they feel infringe upon their intellectual property.

People use the cloud for a myriad reasons, a gigantic majority of which are entirely innocent; but some people also store financial documents, medical documents, or other sensitive personal information in the cloud. I myself encrypt anything that I need access to in multiple locations for storage in the cloud. Other people may feel that they need further protection from not just prying eyes into what they store, but who they are when they store it.

Privacy on the web can be greatly benefited by accepting Bitcoin

Bitcoin itself provides another layer of anonymity when it comes to making transactions happen with services designed to protect privacy. Since a user could obtain Bitcoins from an exchange such as MtGox or another site, this means that once they transfer it into a wallet, it makes it even more difficult for would-be prying eyes to hunt them down out of the wash of IP addresses and payments made to a service like Premiumize.me.

Users in foregin countries with tyrannical governments might greatly enjoy services such as Premiumize.me (in fact The Onion Router, TOR, network was designed specifically to help protect speech in these countries) especially with the addition of taking Bitcoin payments because it would make it even more difficult for their activity of paying for the service to be discovered.

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In the same vein:

Facebook Likes Jacked, Twitter Censored, Google+ Takes on Teen Rage

Mellisa Tolentino — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:49:41 +0000

Facebook is warning its users to be wary of “liking” post supposedly suggested by friends. Facebook, together with the Washington state attorney general, are suing online marketing company Adscend Media for “like-jacking.”

“This company is misleading you, the user, the consumer, into thinking that you are getting a message from a friend. And in fact, that is an advertisement,” said Assistant Attorney General Paula Selis.

The messages look legit but it actually leads you to online surveys or ad sites that would steal your identity and/or credit card information.

Attorney General Bob McKenna warns Facebook users, “Trust your instincts before you click. If it doesn’t really look like something that your friend would send to you, it doesn’t contain any introductory language, you might want to check with them before clicking.”

Timeline Dilemma, IPO, War

Some Facebook users aren’t happy with the mandatory rollout of Timeline in their profiles, which starts this week, and users will have seven days to “clean” their profiles if they don’t want their dirty little secrets exposed.

They had a three-day trading suspension, which ends today, in preparation for their IPO.
Along with other social networking sites, they launched the Don’t Be Evil bookmarklet in response to the Google+ monopoly in social search results.

Twitter

Censorship

Twitter announced that in some countries, tweets will be censored to comply with laws. Tweets will not be totally erased but will be censored in some countries, and Twitter will post a censorship notice for tweets removed.

Twitter announced the censorship in their blog post.

“As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content.”
“Until now, the only way we could take account of those countries’ limits was to remove content globally. Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country – while keeping it available in the rest of the world. We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why.”

“One of our core values as a company is to defend and respect each user’s voice. We try to keep content up wherever and whenever we can, and we will be transparent with users when we can’t. The tweets must continue to flow.”

On a related note, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking companies to develop a software that would allow them to easily scan social networking content so they can prevent crimes from being committed. But this effort is being questioned, as this could curtail internet freedom.

Earlier this week, Twitter acquired Dasient, the leader in anti-malware technology to beef-up their security portfolio.

Google+

Google+ Vice President of Product Bradley Horowitz announced in his G+ account that 13-year olds can now have a G+ account.

“With Google+, we want to help teens build meaningful connections online. We also want to provide features that foster safety alongside self-expression. Today we’re doing both, for everyone who’s old enough for a Google Account (13+ in most countries [2]),” wrote Horowitz.

But this announcement, along with Google’s new privacy policy, is met with raised eyebrows as it render Google users’ data vulnerable and exposed. Legislators are now arguing that users should have more control in data being collected by Google.

Aside from opening their doors to teenagers, G+ also welcomed Google Earth as it now has it’s own official page, and Google in Education, a page made for educator and their supporters.

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In the same vein:

Facebook Affiliate Marketing Scams Top the 2011 Malware Chart

Maria Deutscher — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:48:49 +0000

New analysis by security firm Commtouch has identified scams related to affiliate marketing as the most wide-spread type of fraud on Facebook, accounting for two thirds of this sort of malicious activity carried out across the social network. Scammers exploit regular businesses that finance affiliate marketing campaigns by tricking Facebook users into filling out paid surveys, offering some sort of non-existent incentive in return. Account hijacking is another common way used to reach out to potential victims.

Digging in further, Commtouch found that about 52 percent of users who spread these scams have been exposed to some sort of malicious software: likejacking, rogue apps and malware for the most part. The other portions of unknowing distributors do so willingly, believing they are offered a genuine opportunity.

“Facebook scammers are out to make money, and affiliate marketing is a rich source,” said Amir Lev, Commtouch’s chief technology officer. “The same social engineering techniques that malware distributors and spammers have been using for years to induce people to open their unwanted mail or click on malicious links are being leveraged within Facebook and other popular social networks for ill-gotten gains.”

Security and privacy have been a big issue for Facebook in 2011. Most recently, the EU decided the targeted advertising on the site may be too intrusive, and is prepping to take steps in order to prohibit Facebook from enabling this sort of marketing without the user’s permission.

These topics have been a concern for the IT industry as a whole, and for quite some time now. This will continue to be the case as we head into 2012. Mobile is one area in particular to lookout for, with researchers expecting a rise in Cybersecurity threats and increased awareness about the harmful potential of geolocation technology, among other things.

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In the same vein:

Conspiracy Theories Prevail: Is Carrier IQ Working With The FBI?

Mellisa Tolentino — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:48:39 +0000

Carrier IQ, the provider of Mobile Service Intelligence Solutions for the whole of the wireless industry, has been under fire for weeks now because of the controversial blog post and video that Trevor Eckhart published. Eckhart showed that Carrier IQ has been keeping track of keystrokes and data sent and received on people’s mobile devices, causing an industry-wide uproar with privacy advocates and consumers alike.

Investigating Carrier IQ

To investigate, MuckRock sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for “manuals, documents or other written guidance used to access or analyze data gathered by programs developed or deployed by Carrier IQ” but lo and behold, the request was denied.

The FBI responded to MuckRock’s request with this:

“The material you’ve requested is located in an investigative file which is exempt from disclosure…”
“… records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that production of such law enforcement records or information . . . could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings.”

And the plot thickens. MuckRock responded to request denial with this:

“What is still unclear is whether the FBI used Carrier IQ’s software in its own investigations, whether it is currently investigating Carrier IQ, or whether it is some combination of both – not unlikely given the recent uproar over the practice coupled with the U.S. intelligence communities reliance on third-party vendors. The response would seem to indicate at least the former, since the request was specifically for documents related directly to accessing and analyzing Carrier IQ data.”

MuckRock stated that they would apply for an appeal to get some answers.
In ZDNet’s point of view, the FBI denied the request because of three possible reasons:

The G Men already use information collected by Carrier IQ (an activity which Carrier IQ itself vigorously denies any involvement in)
The Feds realize that there might be a treasure trove of information here, and are planning to make use of it
Carrier IQ itself is under investigation

Conspiracy Theories

I just know conspiracy theorists are going to love this, so brace yourselves for more Carrier IQ controversies.

But of course, it wouldn’t be news if we just heard only one side of the story, so it’s only fair that we hear what Carrier IQ has to say about the controversy. In an exclusive interview with AllThingssD, Carrier IQ CEO Larry Lenhart, and VP of marketing Andrew Coward made a point to clarify all allegations against them.

Lenhart and Coward stated that they will be publishing a third official statement regarding the matter, as they learned that transparency is pertinent at this point. Also, they want to clarify and defend themselves, stating that much of what Eckhart published and showed on his video were erroneous. The document that they will be publishing is a collaboration between CIQ and carrier partners in an effort to ease the minds of consumers.

When asked about the Eckhart’s video showing that data were indeed logged, Coward responded, “What he was looking at there was an Android log file. And to be blunt, there was information there that shouldn’t have been. In order for Carrier IQ to get information off a device, we work with the manufacturers to deliver that information through an API. That information shouldn’t show up in an Android log file. We don’t read from Android log files; we don’t see Android log files. That info just shouldn’t be there. And, ultimately, what goes in that log file is up to the manufacturer.”

So to clarify, Coward stated that those were Android log files, and at no point in the video was there any proof that CIQ had any access to the logged file or even proof that they even received it.

So is this whole CIQ controversy actually an Android controversy? Hmm…

But this might be the most important question in light of the FBI issue, “You say you are not permitted to analyze, resell or reuse any of the information gathered for your own purposes, or to pass it to any third party, unless required by law. Do you know if law enforcement uses Carrier IQ data, and in what manner?”

To which Lenhart responded, “We have been approached by law enforcement about using our technology, and every time it’s happened, we’ve determined that that’s not an appropriate use of it. A lot of data that we capture is historical, so if you really want to find out where somebody is and what they’re doing, our technology isn’t going to give you that. Remember, this is diagnostic data. And we don’t share it with anyone.”

To read the whole interview, click here. A copy of CIQ’s document can also be found on the link.

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In the same vein:

Carrier IQ-gate Redux: The Wolf in the Smartphone

Kit Dotson — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:43:04 +0000

Over the past few weeks, there’s been something of a brouhaha brewing over the discovery of a diagnostic app embedded in almost all modern smartphones used by carriers to determine what’s gone wrong with a phone. The app is called Carrier IQ and when it first came to light, its obfuscated nature and inability in some cases to control its activity.

In late November, security researcher Trevor Eckhart caught Carrier IQ on his Android HTC phone doing what he believed meant it was up to no good. After being rebuffed by the company, he posted a video of the activity of the app. Revealing how the software hides from the user, bypasses the OS in some cases, and even makes it difficult to control or even deactivate the application.

Since then, Carrier IQ has come under harsh scrutiny and has been scrambling to piece together its fractured reputation.

Customers have begun to gather with industry watchdog groups to forge lawsuits against the company. As well as probes from governments into the product and what Carrier IQ does in the EU. After what happened to Apple and Google over undisclosed location-tracking, you’d think that programs that surreptitiously watch information on the phone would make certain that they allowed the user to opt-out of their activity.

Much of What Carrier IQ Does is Necessary for the Diagnostics to Function

According to spokesmen from Carrier IQ, what Trevor Eckhart saw was the result of running in a highly verbose diagnostic mode. A great deal of the information that the app could see was not stored or even processed by the underlying application. They have been quick to point out that while Carrier IQ has access to low level functions such as keypresses and incoming and outgoing data, it doesn’t record most of that, and even less of it is sent back to the carrier.

However, without access to these low-level functions in the OS the diagnostics that Carrier IQ is designed to do wouldn’t be very functional for the carrier. For example, much of what was seen would only be active during an interactive troubleshooting session taking place with the carrier (at the consent of the user.)

The fears over what Carrier IQ is processing arise mostly from people not understanding its function.

However, in spite of what spokesmen have said in defense of Carrier IQ, they’re not looking good in the smartphone market when leaders in that market are distancing themselves from the company.

“[I]t actually does keep your keystrokes,” Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently said of the diagnostic app, “and we certainly don’t work with them and don’t support it… Android is an open platform, so it’s possible for people to build software that’s actually not very good for you, and this appears to be one.”

Even Apple has released a statement that they have stopped support for Carrier IQ with iOS 5.

It’s All About Customer Consent, Control, Information, and Education

While Carrier IQ is not exactly as benign as the developer or carriers argue, it’s also not quite as sinister as first thought. Many of the problems that Carrier IQ is currently facing over the activity of its application stem from its furtive behavior and the inability for the customer to know it’s on their phone and control its activity.

Both of these issues make Carrier IQ the privacy and security problem that is today. Any application running on a mobile device or smartphone that’s not directly accessible by the customer, that hides its presence, and cannot be terminated by the customer makes the phone less trustworthy.

If carriers want to have Carrier IQ installed on their handsets in order to aid with customer service, they are going to have to require Carrier IQ to be opt-in.

Having this diagnostic program running on mobile handsets that have no known problems, doing so furtively and without customer consent will leave nothing but a bad aftertaste for consumers. The specter of a breach of privacy is a very emotional problem for consumers and they’d like to know that their carriers are looking out for them not spying on them.

What About Security Risks?

If you’d like to know if Carrier IQ is running on your phone there’s an app for that, Lookout Labs has released a free scanner for Android. From there you can make an educated decision on what you’ll do about it or how to deal with it.

As a program appearing on a great deal of smartphones and that it bypasses a great deal of security functions already in order to be a low-level diagnostic program, Carrier IQ presents a strong case for exploitability. Since information is being captured by Carrier IQ, bypassing the OS, it could be easily used by malware that could actually log or analyze activity and thus becomes an actual problem of personal privacy and security.

Couple it’s apparent ubiquity across both Android and iPhones and thus a strong presence in the market makes it an excellent target for this sort of malware. Add that it launches without consent, does so furtively, and most users don’t know that they have it on their phone means that any malware taking advantage of it can do so without ever coming out of the shadows.

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Privacy Wins with Fresh Facebook-FTC Agreement

Maria Deutscher — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:41:25 +0000

Social networking giant Facebook has reached a privacy settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, WSJ reported. The company has been under intense international scrutiny due to a rather lengthy list of blunders involving users’ personal data, and the FTC plans to make sure these kinds of incidents won’t happen again.

“Facebook is obligated to keep the promises about privacy that it makes to its hundreds of millions of users,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a statement. “Facebook’s innovation does not have to come at the expense of consumer privacy. The FTC action will ensure it will not.”

The settlement includes an order asking Facebook to provide periodic reviews of its privacy practices by an independent auditor throughout the next 20 years, similarly to Google and Twitter. In addition, Facebook now requires users’ consent before implementing privacy changes and will delete profiles that haven’t been active for 30 days.

Lastly, should Facebook not comply with these new restrictions it faces a fine of $16,000 per violation per day, a sum that can really add up when one considers the social network has 800 million users.

One of the first measures the company has taken in light of the FTC’s decision is the appointment of two new Chief Privacy Officers. The settlement is still not conclusive, but there is a high probability it will pass through, which means Facebook better start preparing now.

Over in Europe, the EU is also taking measures to ensure Facebook maintains its users’ data private. A directive due in May aims to prohibit targeted marketing unless a user agrees to it. This may prove to be a challenge for Facebook, and a decline in ad revenues from European users would likely have an impact on the success of the company’s upcoming public offering.

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In the same vein:

Security Concerns around Encryption are not Aimed at Big Brother Alone

Maria Deutscher — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:14:09 +0000

The worries concerning the need for encryption to keep the Big Brother from spying over the private citizen have been cropping up from time to time rather frequently, but now a twist to the story usual story appeared.

A new a report entitled “The growing impact of full disk encryption on digital forensics” hopes to increase law enforcements agencies’ awareness to the downsides encryption may present when trying to track down criminal activity. The study which does highlight the obvious in a way provides several suggestions to handling this, as well as a fairly obvious moral dilemma that seems to change as one moves the frame around. The paper was picked up by ExtremeTech:

“The paper does go on to suggest some ways to ameliorate these issues, though: Better awareness at the evidence-gathering stage would help, but it also suggests “on-scene forensic acquisition” of data, which involves ripping unencrypted data from volatile, live memory (with the cryogenic RAM freezing technique, presumably).”

The researchers highlighted a number of other points as well, including the risks in turning off a device that potentially carries important data during transport and the self-destruction mechanisms that may be associated with hardware-level disk encryption.

The report shines new light on a different angle to the encryption story. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been plenty of examples going both ways. During the London riots protestors used BlackBerry’s built-in messenger and social media to spread “really inflammatory [and] inaccurate” propaganda. Despite of a local outcry RIM provided authorities with access to its network; in essence the main reason the Scotland Yard didn’t hit a break wall following this cyber-lead.

On the other hand, the U.S government embarked on an imitative to increase user awareness to the dangers of storing unencrypted data. To some extent, it’s probably not possible to avoid a certain degree of contradiction when it comes to privacy and encryption.

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Facebook Gore-Porn Account Hijacking Epidemic Reaches a Fever Pitch

Kit Dotson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:26:09 +0000

It’s as if the circus of pornographic horrors has marched into the hallowed, staid halls of Facebook, painting over the frescoes and setting up shops of debauchery on every corner. A new exploit, slowly gathering steam over the past few days, has been hijacking users’ newsfeeds and turning them into a churning cesspit of unwanted graphic imagery. An unchecked deluge of hardcore pornography, gory and violent pictures, and images of animal abuse have gushed out across the social-media site.

According to the Christian Post this morning, part of the exploit appears to be a standard linkspam involving a popular celebrity—in this case Kim Kardashian—suggesting that users click through in order to view a video. The article goes on to say the link then goes on to load a scripted webpage that hijacks the person’s account.

Reporters at Gawker have speculated that this might be related to the hacktivst collective, Anonymous; but unlike the nature of the collective nobody has taken any sort of credit. The behavior of the Anonymous collective is that often the cells seek out anonymous notoriety by pressing their advantage and posting a manifesto along with whatever prank has been devised. The recently-passed Guy Fawke’s Day and its connection to the Anonymous memeplex also brought the possible connection to mind, as Anonymous has promised to bring Facebook to its knees on Nov 5th.

Although, doing so days after the suggested date seems to dilute the connection somewhat.

The user reaction to the problem has been nothing less than staggering revulsion. The imagery being poured through computer screens and into the eyes of unsuspecting Facebook users runs the gamut from Photoshopped images of Justin Bieber in compromising pornographic situations to images of horrifying animal cruelty. Twitter has been aflame with numerous complaints about the horrorshow thrust upon unsuspecting Facebook users and others have been questioning why they use the site at all.

Facebook is not all rainbows and roses: Insecurity reveals the dark underbelly

ZDNet writer Violet Blue weighs in that this sort of cyberprank could be directed at Facebook’s apparent uptight culture—of course it’s shanghai-and-shock sort of attitude makes it feel like more of a middle-finger than a social commentary.

This comes as something of a massive slap in the face to Facebook over their otherwise Victorian conservative attitude and straight-laced approach to social media. As an administration, the current Facebook has never had a very good outlook on adult content and tends to shut it down without reaction. They have also been implicated, repeatedly, for extremely bad policies involving user privacy and account controls—possibly leading directly to the hijacks we’re seeing now.

Account hijack and social engineering scams abound on Facebook, one that took the fight front-and-center by TPing the social media site’s mansion has been bound to come out of the woodwork. We’ve seen scams perpetrated such as “the girl who killed herself on Halloween,” multiple leveraging off celebrity deaths like Amy Winehouse, Steve Jobs, and even Osama bin Ladin. Getting credulous people to click on links—or even accept applications that then can hijack their account appears to be extremely easy.

If anything the recent, weird “Take This Lollipop: I dare you” campaign seems to have been eclipsed by the sheer audacity of this rapidly spreading attack.

This sort of event seems like it would be inevitable. Facebook opened up a real-time updating mechanism that displayed images into feeds to everyone, they have a highly exploitable system with Byzantine privacy- and account-controls, and have already been shown to be a festering pit social engineering worms that repeatedly strike and pass through the site with little in the way of an immune system.

Facebook has contracted the chicken pox—gore-porn pox?—and unless the site gets on the ball with user security and clamps down on the mechanisms by which accounts can be compromised, this sort of event is going to keep happening.

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In the same vein:

Governor of California Crushes Bill Banning Warrantless Cell Phone Searches

Kit Dotson — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:03:04 +0000

Gov. Jerry Brown of California has vetoed a bill that would have required police officers to obtain a warrant before searching arrestees’ smartphones. The bill would have worked to prevent the practice of law enforcement of opening up a person’s cell phone, downloading all the contents, perusing photos, videos, texts, e-mails, and other private effects without a court order.

Apparently, we at SiliconANGLE had been a little bit too hasty in thinking this was a win for smartphone user privacy rights in California when the state legislature passed SB 914 with the Assembly approving the bill 70-0 and the Senate, 32-4. Of course, before a bill can properly become a law the governor must sign it into law; the lack of his signature merits a veto, which blocks its ratification.

“The courts are better suited to resolve the complex and case-specific issues relating to constitutional search-and-seizure protections,” the governor wrote, referring to the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear a case by California’s Supreme Court on the very same issue. Precisely what the new California law had intended to shore up for its citizens.

Our smartphones have become more than just digital pockets that store notes and knickknacks that we can dump onto a table at the request of a police officer. Smartphones are increasingly becoming portals into a vast timeline of our lives—in fact, some smartphones even become windows into our individual personal cloud and give direct access to private information that would otherwise require a warrant to search (i.e. things stored on personal computers or behind private Facebook locks.)

Smartphone users may need to look at the sort of protections provided by their phones to their personal information when they use them. Full-device encryption isn’t offered my many manufacturers—although it can be built-on for devices that run Android, but not any iOS device yet—and for many situations the personal cloud looks like an excellent alternative. Using the personal cloud (along with tight encryption and a password) to store the contents of a phone could make it much more difficult for anyone usurping control of a smartphone to obtain its information—this includes criminals as well as government authorities.

All of this is extremely concerning because smartphones have become like a second pair of eyes and ears. They record a lot of our communication and store it on themselves where it becomes open to anyone who can break the physical security on the phone itself. In Michigan, police have already experimented with devices that can clone the Flash memory on smartphones (bypassing physical layer security altogether) and thereby retrieve the call list, all texts, photos, movies, e-mails, and even GPS memory.

Having just gone through a series of articles concerning smartphones tracking users it’s obvious that smartphones are more private than currently treated by the law.

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