For debate in my Computer Security class. 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-keep-pushing-apple-to-unlock-iphone-in-new-york-case-1460128066

U.S. to Keep Pushing Apple to Unlock iPhone in New York Case

…   The new filing shows that while the political heat surrounding the encryption issue may have dimmed with the end of the San Bernardino case, the government is pushing ahead with its legal strategy.  By continuing to fight the Brooklyn case, the Justice Department hopes to win one or more court rulings upholding its authority to compel companies like Apple to assist in investigations by opening devices or decrypting data.

Lawyers for Apple said they were disappointed but not surprised by the government’s move, and that the courts should be skeptical about the government’s claims of needing Apple’s help to open phones, given what happened in the San Bernardino case.  The Apple lawyers said they want government officials to provide much more detail about investigators’ efforts to open the New York phone.

An Apple lawyer said the company plans to try to force the government to answer specific questions about its phone-hacking efforts, including what companies and government agencies it has consulted with and what methods it has tried.  It wants officials to explain why they believe only Apple can open the phone.

…   In the drug case, Magistrate Judge James Orenstein ruled that the U.S. didn’t have the authority to force Apple to help them access data on the phone.  The Justice Department wants Judge Brodie to review the issue.

Our continuing quest to replace lawyers with Siri, Cortana, or some other software based personal assistant.

http://www.bespacific.com/aba-journal-artificial-intelligence-transforming-legal-profession/

ABA Journal – How artificial intelligence is transforming the legal profession

by Sabrina I. Pacifici on Apr 8, 2016

Julie Sobowale: “…Artificial intelligence is changing the way lawyers think, the way they do business and the way they interact with clients.  Artificial intelligence is more than legal technology.  It is the next great hope that will revolutionize the legal profession.  Change can be brought on through pushing existing ideas.  What makes artificial intelligence stand out is the potential for a paradigm shift in how legal work is done.  AI, sometimes referred to as cognitive computing, refers to computers learning how to complete tasks traditionally done by humans.  The focus is on computers looking for patterns in data, carrying out tests to evaluate the data and finding results.  Chicago-based NexLP, which stands for next generation language processing, is creating new ways for lawyers to look at data…”

A resource for CJ students.

http://www.bespacific.com/record-guide-criminal-justice-system/

The Record – Your Guide to the Criminal Justice System

by Sabrina I. Pacifici on Apr 8, 2016

“The Marshall Project is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on the American criminal justice system.  Our mission is to create and sustain a sense of urgency about criminal justice in America.  We aim at all times for accuracy, fairness, and impartiality.  Our repertoire includes deep investigative projects, narratives and profiles that put a human face on criminal justice, explanatory and contextual pieces, along with guest commentary and voices from inside the system.  And we partner with a diverse array of media organizations to amplify our message… What are records?  Since 2014, The Marshall Project has been curating some of the best criminal justice reporting from around the web.  In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the criminal justice conversation.”  Users may search by subject or browse by topic.

Because I can never have enough tools.

http://www.networkworld.com/article/3052912/software/first-look-vivaldi-10-the-new-web-browser-for-the-old-school.html?google_editors_picks=true

FIRST LOOK: Vivaldi 1.0, the new web browser for the old school

…   The team behind Vivaldi, including Opera browser co-creator Jon von Tetzchner, is hoping that their new browser’s blend of throwback functionality and modern tech will catch on. You can download Vivaldi here on Macs, Windows or Linux

Interesting resource.  You would think all youngsters know how the Internet works… 

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/04/mozilla-releases-interactive-web.html

Mozilla Releases an Interactive Web Literacy Map

I was recently contacted by the Mozilla Foundation with news about their recently released interactive guide to teaching web literacy.  Mozilla's interactive web literacy map is based on three main components of web literacy; reading, writing, and participating.  Each of those elements is linked to smaller, supporting components.  Clicking on any component of Mozilla's interactive web literacy map will lead you to a definition for that component.

Mozilla's web literacy map is a handy guide to basic definitions of web literacy and the map does a nice job of showing how all of the components are connected.  The real value of the web literacy map is found when you click into Mozilla's web literacy teaching activities.

Mozilla's web literacy teaching activities page contains eighteen sections offering dozens of lesson on everything from basic web literacy like protecting privacy on the web to advanced topics like writing Javascript.  There is even a section of lessons designed for teaching web literacy in classrooms in which not every student has access to a computer.

Applications for Education

Mozilla's web literacy teaching activities page offers lessons suitable for use with students of all ages.  Should find that the lessons are too difficult or too easy for your students go ahead and modify it to fit your needs.  Mozilla offers some tools that you can use in building and sharing your own web literacy learning activities.

This is interesting.  Let my students do all the work!

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/04/snapchat-explained-by-students-to.html

Snapchat Explained by Students to Teachers

Jenn Scheffer and her students at Burlington Public High School run a great tech help desk blog for teachers and students.  This week they tackled an app that is still a mystery to many educators, Snapchat.  I encourage any teacher, administrator, librarian, or parent who doesn't understand Snapchat to take some time to read the BPHS Help Desk blog post about Snapchat and watch the video overview of how it works.

Still amusing.

http://hackeducation.com/2016/04/08/hack-education-weekly-news

Hack Education Weekly News

…   Via the Drinks Business blog: “Italy has drafted a bill that would see children as young as six take lessons in wine at primary school, with one hour a week dedicated to ‘wine culture and history’.”

…   Inside Higher Ed reports that “Several civil liberties and academic freedom organizations have sent the U.S. Education Department a letter urging it to avoid decisions or policies that would punish colleges that do not ban Yik Yak.”

…   According to the AP, “The state’s top education official says a computer glitch erased answers on about 14,220 standardized tests taken by Texas high school students.”

…   Via htxt.africa: “City of Joburg wants to give 25 000 residents free access to online learning by June.” (That’s Johannesburg, South Africa, which is investing heavily in free WiFi at public libraries.)