1) For those of you who, like me, could not watch the webinar with Dr. Ann Cavoukian on June 16, here is a video of it.
Smart Cities of Privacy Webinar with Dr. Ann Cavoukian and Hugh O’Reilly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxngQVKcYoI (48:24 min.)
2) The number of satellites orbiting the earth is increasing rapidly, causing major and varied concerns. One is space junk.
How 100,000 Satellites Will Change Earth Forever by 2040
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3LR9-_fEdw (15:18 min.)
3) On MSNBC today, there was a report about a small town, Wilson, North Carolina, which got tired of being ignored by big telecoms and having terrible internet, built its own fiber optic network. The result is excellent internet at a lower price which is paid to the community. Internet was made a “public utility” which got around some laws. The companies fought it and now are trying to get laws implemented that would stop other communities from doing the same. I haven’t found the report itself but here is some information.
Why Wilson, N.C., Became Its Own Internet Provider
“The coronavirus pandemic forced an unprecedented shift to remote working, and at the same time, it highlighted a big problem for small cities: slow Internet speed.”
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/12/875548059/why-wilson-n-c-became-its-own-internet-provider
And other US communities are investigating following Wilson’s lead.
Bristol looking into building its own fiber optic network to offer internet as a public utility
“If there’s enough public interest, the city’s information technology staff along with a consultant would design a plan for running fiber optics lines on every street. Residents and business owners would be invited to connect to the network for a fee, but there’d be no requirement….
And the fiber optic lines would provide faster, more reliable service than wireless, she said, particularly in places where many users simultaneously listen to music, stream video or conduct Zoom meetings.
Bristol already has fiber optic lines serving its firehouses, schools and other public buildings, all linked to a data hub on the third floor of city hall. The goal is to build that out to potentially serve the entire city. Residents and businesses that sign up would pay for maintenance, but even after that Zoppo-Sassu estimates they could save around half of their monthly ISP charges.”
4) A short video that is very disturbing — looking at data, behavior patterns as a possible way to predict and potentially control future behavior.
Leaked Google video – THE SELFISH LEDGER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqUCX5rPQug (8:41 min.)
Sharon Noble, Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” Walter Elliot