Notes from the Electronic Cottage 7/6/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Do you find yourself behaving differently if you think you are being watched? Most people do. And where is one place many that people feel they are continually being watched? Yup – on the Web. Policy makers and legislators haven’t generally gotten themselves too upset about privacy violations online, but if those privacy concerns affect economic behavior – well, that is a different matter, isn’t it. And now there is empirical evidence that is the case. Here are the numbers.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 6/22/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Some have pointed out that the bluster coming out of the Washington tweet storm, news about investigations, denials of investigations and so on are dragging our attention from things going on in Congress like the Senate health care bill that is being constructed behind closed doors. But there is another law that is slipping through Congress that will also have a major effect on our everyday lives, especially our digital lives, that is being drowned out by all the headlined Washington drama. Ever hear of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008? If not, give a listen.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 6/8/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Google users know that Google tracks what they do online across computers, smartphones, personal assistants, etc. Now Google has unveiled a new plan called Google Attribution which will follow users offline right into brick and mortar stores to track individual’s purchases through their credit card receipts so that advertisers can tell that their Google advertising works. What could possibly go wrong?

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 5/25/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

We hear a lot about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning these days, mostly when a computer program beats a human champion at chess or GO or now poker. But AI is a part of everyday life these days in ways many of us aren’t aware of. We’re often not aware of something else: machines can be just as biased as humans, and that can make a big difference in people’s lives.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 5/18/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Well, the mp3 file format passed away last week. The patent on the codec ran out and the patent holder is off to other things, and there are now more effective audio compression codecs around. Still, mp3 was revolutionary in its time so we dug in the archives to find this old edition that explains just how audio compression in general and mp3 compression in particular works. So long, old friend.

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