Centennial Man

Friday, July 09, 2021

I feel so much more private!

https://www.huntonprivacyblog.com/2021/07/08/colorado-legislature-passes-colorado-privacy-act/

Colorado Privacy Act Signed Into Law

On July 8, 2021, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed SB21-190, the Colorado Privacy Act (“the Act”), into law, making Colorado the third state to have a comprehensive data privacy law on the books, following California and Virginia.

… The Act will go into effect on July 1, 2023, with some specific provisions going into effect at later dates.

Surely confusion shall reign. Retaining and storing is not collecting? Not covered if you are not a ‘customer.’

https://www.bespacific.com/new-york-citys-new-biometrics-privacy-law-takes-effect/

New York City’s new biometrics privacy law takes effect

Mondaq – “Following the municipal ban on the use of facial recognition technology in Portland, Oregon, New York City’s more expansive “biometric identifier information” law, set to go into effect July 9, 2021, will ban the sale of biometric data but permit the use of biometric identifying technologies with posted notice to customers in “simple language” to be prescribed by forthcoming rules. Specifically, the law requires that a “commercial establishment” post “clear and conspicuous signs” at customer entrances notifying customers that technologies are in use that can identify (or assist in identifying) individuals by voice, eye (retina or iris), finger, hand, face, “or any other identifying characteristic.” Even if the commercial establishment does not actively collect biometric data, notice must still be posted if it “retains, converts, stores or shares biometric identifier information of customers.” A “customer” includes only a “purchaser or lessee, or a prospective purchaser or lessee, of goods or services;” a notice for collecting or using biometrics of employees is not required. Although the use of biometric identifying technologies is permitted with the required notice, it will be unlawful to sell, lease, trade, or share biometric identifier information in exchange for anything of value or to “otherwise profit from the transaction of biometric information.” Because the section of the law banning sale or exchange is not specifically in relation to “customers,” it may be argued that commercial establishments’ employees’ biometric identifier information is subject to the ban on sale or exchange..”

Maine Becomes First State To Pass Broad Government Ban on Facial Recognition Technology

While it is not the first state-level regulation addressing facial recognition technology in the United States, Maine’s new law (LD 1585) is both the strongest and broadest in scope as of yet. The new bill bans the use of it across all levels of state government, with a lone exception carved out for law enforcement investigations of serious crimes.

No human in the loop?

https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/china-declassifies-underwater-drone-amid-taiwan-escalation

China declassifies underwater drone amid Taiwan escalation

China has declassified its new unmanned underwater drone designed specifically to target "enemy" submarines, a report said on Thursday.

The project to build such a drone dates back to the 90s and its specifics were revealed in an academic paper last week.

The drone was test-fired in the Taiwan Strait without human input a decade ago, reported daily South China Morning Post, adding the drone "could detect a mock craft, use artificial intelligence to identify its origin, and hit it with a torpedo."

… "It is unclear why China has now declassified details of the test, but the tension over the Taiwan Strait has recently escalated to its highest point in decades," the report noted.

Tensions between China and Western capitals in the Taiwan Strait have raised exponentially, mostly under former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

Simple, but useful.

https://www.kmworld.com/Articles/News/News/The-Difference-Between-Traditional-Programming-and-Machine-Learning-147862.aspx

The Difference Between Traditional Programming and Machine Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJsGHVxY3k

In traditional programming a developer looks at what the factors are that affect the outcome that the program is attempting to predict, he explained. In the case of a business, it's what you would put on a spreadsheet and then the programmer implements in code the logic, the relationships among all of these different things, which can be as simple as if expenses go up, then revenue profits will come down or way more complex scenarios between releationships.

Whereas machine learning drops the logic, drops the relationships, and what we know about the relationship, he said.

Tools & Techniques

https://www.makeuseof.com/vivaldi-vs-opera-vs-brave-best-chrome-alternative/

Vivaldi vs. Opera vs. Brave: Which Is the Best Chrome Alternative?

4 Free Anonymous Web Browsers That Are Completely Private

The Beginner's Guide to the Windows 10 Narrator

Windows Narrator is a built-in screen-reader and text-to-speak tool which helps people to complete common tasks. While it was designed for visually impaired people, anyone can use Narrator as it has a large number of configuration options.

(Related) How to truly appreciate "Weird Al" Yankovic.

https://www.makeuseof.com/best-android-lyrics-apps/

Find the Lyrics to Your Favorite Songs With These 7 Android Apps