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OCAU News |
Thursday Morning
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Thursday, 29-December-2016 10:32:54 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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A couple of articles from EFA: firstly, they feel that blocking file-sharing websites won't stop illegal downloaders. Importantly, the court refused a request that the ISPs be required to ban new domains or IP addresses as they pop up (the “whack-a-mole” problem). This is a win for due process, because it ensures that the court maintains control over the process. But it also shows that this is largely a symbolic victory. The experience from overseas shows how easy it is for a site such as The Pirate Bay to change its address faster than courts can keep up.
They also caution about privacy issues with health trackers. The flow and movement of data is also creating more questions around consent and privacy. Many people remain unaware of where data is going and how it is then used. A recent draft report indicates 13% of Australians own a wearable device like the one Suzanne uses to track her running, walking and sleep. How many people know the well-being and location data these wearable devices collect travels back to the companies that sell them and is used in ways we know little about?
An interesting twist on all this is the potential for smart gadgets to assist law enforcement, although in this case Amazon refused to provide the data. Amazon's Echo devices and its virtual assistant are meant to help find answers by listening for your voice commands. However, police in Arkansas want to know if one of the gadgets overheard something that can help with a murder case. According to The Information, authorities in Bentonville issued a warrant for Amazon to hand over any audio or records from an Echo belonging to James Andrew Bates. Bates is set to go to trial for first-degree murder for the death of Victor Collins next year.
Closer to home, people are concerned that relaxed data retention laws could lead to the data being used in civil cases. Internet law expert John Selby, of Maquarie University, said the review raised the possibility that data retention laws, initially justified on national security grounds, could grow to include measures well beyond their original intent. "Such provisions may have seen even stronger public resistance to the law if they had been included at the time," Dr Selby said.
Simon sent word that Steam have been fined $3M for failing to honour warranty requirements in Australia. A court found in May that Steam's website breached Australian Consumer Law because it stated consumers were not entitled to a refund and had no access to minimum quality guarantees. Steam must now introduce a compliance program and place an notice in size 14 type on its Australia website informing consumers about their rights.
Intel's new Kaby Lake processors seem to be overclocking friendly - although liquid nitrogen was used to really push this one. The highest performing Kaby Lake processor Intel currently plans to offer is the Core i7-7700K. It runs at a stock clock speed of 4.2GHz, with Turbo increasing that to 4.5GHz. That's impressive, but as HotHardware reports, Russian website OCLab (translated) managed to get hold of a 7700K and decided to see what it could really do.
Today's timewaster is from Callan: an online spirograph!
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