The Right to Access the Internet

The Right to Access the Internet

In this article I want to address the concept of "digital rights", a term which describes those human rights that allow individuals to access, use, create, and publish digital media, or to access and use computers, other electronic devices, or communications networks. 

Per Wikipedia, the term is particularly related to the protection and realization of existing rights, such as the right to privacy or freedom of expression, in the context of new digital technologies, especially the Internet.

It's the law (elsewhere)
Especially of note: The right to internet access is recognized as a right by the laws of several countries. I go further than this right to propose that affordable broadband internet should be a right in the United States. 

Local issues
Here are some related questions for my readers in Hamakua Hawaii to ponder and ask their elected officials about - at the county, state, and federal level. I know these types of issues are relevant in rural communities elsewhere in our country too.

State-sponsored WiFi
Why is government-provided WiFi not available in every town in Hawaii, such as in downtown Honokaa? This would benefit locals and especially tourists who seek information on local attractions but who may get poor cell data service, like in downtown Honokaa. I would extend this request for service to the Waipio Valley lookout and other tourist attractions where visitors could learn in their own language about an attraction and appreciate it more deeply - and get safety advisories about access, including off-limits areas. 

Neighbor out of luck
Why does Hawaiian Telcom have limited DSL internet service in Hamakua? I know of properties where the residents have Hawaiian Tel phone service but cannot get broadband internet. Case in point: my next-door neighbor. We both have Hawaiian Tel phone service, and I have DSL internet, but Hawaiian Tel won't provide DSL to my neighbor. What is this, cold war-era communist Europe? It's a 21st century disgrace. I'm embarrassed for Hawaiian Tel. 

Powerline broadband anyone?
Here's another related question: Why - if Hawaiian Telcom refuses to provide broadband internet in areas where they ARE providing phone service - can't Helco provide internet service? There is a technology called broadband over powerline (BPL). It is a service where customers get high-speed internet connections through their standard electrical outlets. Users simply plug a power line modem into any socket; there is no need for additional special wiring. 

Tablets for the library
On another note, why do our public libraries not provide tablets for patrons to check out in the library for reading e-books, browsing the web, watching movies on, etc.? There are also some useful learning apps for tablets that children could make use of while mom/dad read the paper. It seems a grant could be applied to make this happen, perhaps from ultra-rich Apple Inc. High school kids seeking community service hours could even volunteer time tutoring seniors and younger children on such devices.     

If we, through our elected representatives, don't push for investments in widely available and affordable internet service and device access we certainly don't merit a reputation as a modern and technologically advanced nation, no matter what marvels Silicon Valley produces. 

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

No Power = No Internet = Desperate Times!

No Power = No Internet = Desperate Times!

For those of my readers in Hamakua Hawaii who experienced the Honokaa-area power outage the week of February 10, 2019 you felt the pain of losing access to electricity-dependent devices, appliances, and machines. In our case, we had no power for a week!

We are located right on that strip of highway between Honokaa and Paauilo where several of the power poles were destroyed by high winds and tree branches. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Helco, Isemoto and others for working 24/7 to restore power asap, even in the pouring rain. Would have baked them cookies, but alas, no stove! 

Home camping
A week without power was "interesting". It was like camping at our house. No hot showers, no appliances, no lights at night, etc. We made do with a "navy showers" and showering at a friend's house, using our camping stove, ice for the fridge, and plenty of flashlights. Compared to the lives of millions of refugees around the world our experience was trivial of course. 

Internet Withdrawals
The real problem for me as a home-based IT tech was no power or Internet. I had to make use of WiFi at Starbucks, McDonald's, client offices, my cell phone's hotspot, and the public library. The Honokaa public library has a charging station for laptops and devices, which is a much-appreciated service. The librarian even served coffee to patrons who used the library during the power outage. Now that's aloha!

I was feeling the withdrawals of not having easy access to TV news and weather, and to Netflix - it was interesting to see in me that mental twitch of addiction. One night my wife and I watched a DVD on her laptop. Then her battery died so we switched to mine, which has no speakers, so we used subtitles. Desperate measures for desperate times. 

Community counts
The beauty of not having power is to see what we take for granted, to witness community support, and to be resourceful in getting work done - as in my case hopscotching between WiFi services. I caught up on some reading on my Kindle at night (it had a charge because I rarely use it), and went to be earlier, which is always a good thing. We also enjoyed a meal with our neighbors, prepared on a propane camping stove. 

Routine upended 
I played catch-up with all kinds of computer-related stuff the day after power was restored, streamed a Netflix movie, had a hot shower, and we made meals on the kitchen stove again. The access to Internet and my computers was missed during the outage. But what I found the most unsettling was the change to my daily routine. It wasn't just one thing - it was the overall disruption and uncertainty. 

Resiliency training
The power outage was a good opportunity for resiliency training. Goodness knows what's coming down the pike for humanity in the years to come. I'm certain of this at least: we'll all need to be more flexible, resourceful, and community-oriented. In essence, that's what civilization is all about.  

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Safer Cell Phone Use for Kids

Safer Cell Phone Use for Kids

It's back to school time again. Ah the memories… some good, some bad. The worst for me was dealing with the jerks who wanted to ruin your day.

Well, nowadays those jerks aren't just at school. Yes, they can be near - or far, far away... anywhere there's internet service.

Cell phones with internet access put kids in touch not only with the bully down the hall, but also a sociopath in Eastern Europe, or a creepy adult in town.

Have "the Talk" 
Yes, cell phones are a great way for parents to keep in touch with their children before, during, and after school. But it's important to have a conversation with kids about potential risks.

Tips from the FBI
Here are six tips offered by the FBI to help keep your child safe on his or her cell phone. And for readers without kids, some of these tips apply equally to you. We're all more vulnerable online if we're not proactive about security and privacy.

1. Parents should know every password to every device, and every password to every app on that device. Parents pay the bill, and as long as that child is a minor, he or she is your responsibility. You should be able to login to all devices, sites, and services to check for safety issues.
2. Check all accounts for disturbing content. You and your kids should have a non-negotiable understanding that your access is a requirement for continued cell phone use.
3. Learn about how photos are geotagged. Do you want just anybody to know what school your child goes to or what field his team uses for soccer practice? You should be able to turn this feature off in settings. Here's a related link for changing geotagging settings for iPhone and iPads:
   https://www.techbout.com/turn-off-geotagging-for-photos-iphone-ipad-8738/
4. Teach your kids to never respond to calls, texts, or emails from unknown numbers or people. Scam artists and predators will victimize anyone, regardless of age.
5. Talk to your kids about what constitutes appropriate language and photos. One sexually explicit photo can change a life forever. It is crucial that your kids understand that just because something starts out as a private communication between two people does not mean that it can't be shared with thousands of people in seconds.
6. Teach your children to program the privacy settings on social media feeds to the highest level and to reject any "friend requests" from those they don't know and trust in a face-to-face relationship. Parents should also consider forbidding any new "friend requests" by their kids, without parent approval. Here's a link with info on Facebook privacy settings:
   https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/

Thanks for reading!

-Sam

Is It the End of the Internet As We Know It?

Is It the End of the Internet As We Know It? 

On the cusp of 2018, the REM song, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” comes to mind.

The world is not ending, but the world as we know it sure is, especially the world of the Internet. How so?

FCC Ends Net Neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission voted in early December to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules, which required Internet service providers to offer equal access to all web content, without charging consumers for higher-quality delivery or giving preferential treatment to certain websites.

Online Caste System?
Doing away with net neutrality rules provides opportunity for Internet providers to charge for bandwidth use based on content accessed. Translation, the more you can afford to pay, the more bandwidth and therefore more resources that will available to you. So the wealthier among us may well enjoy the full flavor of the Internet’s offerings, and the wealthiest companies will be able to cater to those tastes. 

As for the rest of us, “Let them eat cake,” Marie Antoinette famously exclaimed. 


This is alarmist, I admit. Time will tell. But you can bet rights activists, hackers, and the younger generation won’t take these controls on open Internet access lying down.    

Dying a Slow Death
From a larger vantage point one could argue, as Farhad Manjoo of the New York Times has, that net neutrality won’t change the Internet much, because it’s already been dying a slow death. Per Manjoo, “American Internet companies — Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft — “control much of the online infrastructure, from app stores to operating systems to cloud storage to nearly all of the online ad business.”

You Can Take Action
If you are concerned about keeping the Internet open and equally accessible by all, please consider contacting your congressional representatives, Tulsi Gabbard and Mazie Hirono. As of the date this article was written, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution to undo the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules.

Giving is Good
Also if you’re feeling generous - in the spirit of the season - please consider donating to organizations which fight for an open Internet: Mozilla and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 

https://donate.mozilla.org/en-US/

https://supporters.eff.org/donate/

As this is a security and privacy blog, I will note one privacy concern going forward could be that Internet consumers will be cajoled to give up more personal information in order to get better Internet bandwidth deals. 

Happy New Year!
Sam

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The Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT)

Here's an update to the issue I wrote about in my post below, dated 7/31/15.

From the FBI, 9/10/15...

http://www.ic3.gov/media/2015/150910.aspx

<<Here's my original article>>

Following last month's reported vulnerability of some Chrysler vehicles to Internet hacking, I thought you might benefit from knowing more about The Internet of Things (IoT), which the Chrysler issue concerns. It's an important bit of knowledge for all of us as we become increasingly immersed in connected technologies. (You can read about the Chrysler hack here.)

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? This term includes any device that sends or receives data via the Internet - from phones and tablets to home appliances, vehicles, and medical devices.

More and more cars, appliances, wearables, lighting, healthcare, and home security systems contain sensing devices that can "talk" to another machine and trigger additional actions. This talking can occur in your home WiFi network and/or remotely over the Internet. The device can be controlled by you via an app on your phone for example, and/or the device can receive downloads from the device manufacturer online without your involvement.

Here are some examples of IoT devices:

• Automated devices which remotely or automatically adjust lighting or HVAC
• Security systems, such as security alarms or Wi-Fi cameras, including video monitors used in nursery and daycare settings
• Medical devices, such as wireless heart monitors or insulin dispensers
• Thermostats
• Wearables, such as fitness devices
• Lighting modules which activate or deactivate lights
• Smart appliances, such as smart refrigerators and TVs
• Office equipment, such as printers
• Entertainment devices to control music or television from a mobile device
• Fuel monitoring systems  

Security of such devices is not guaranteed. Though many security and resilience risks are not new, the scale of interconnectedness created by the IoT increases the consequences of known risks and creates new ones.

What can you do to protect your connected devices in this brave new world? 

• Keep up with the news reported about the IoT and security concerns.
• Respond to threats that pertain to a device you own promptly. 
• Update the software regularly. Do this on the device itself as well as the apps (on your phone and tablet) used to control the device.
• Have a good understanding of how a device works. What is the nature of its connection to the Internet? What information does it store and transmit? Do you feel comfortable about the information it's sharing with the manufacturer? 
• Secure your network. Properly secure the network you use to connect your Internet-enabled devices, which can be wired or wireless. One model I'm recommending is a WiFi router with private and guest access. Connect your home appliances, bluray player, and other such devices to the guest WiFi. Connect your computers, phones, and tablets to the private WiFi. This provides some firewalling of the appliance-type of equipment from your computers in case one of the appliances becomes infected by a new virus or is hacked. 

Thanks for reading. Your feedback is appreciated!

Aloha, Sam

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