My Way News - British government backs down over database plan

AP reports: "The British government said Monday it wants communications companies to keep records of every phone call, e-mail and Web site visit made in the country. But it has decided not to set up a national database of the information, a proposal that had been condemned as a 'Big Brother'-style invasion of privacy by civil liberties groups."

Comment: How nice that they decided not to set up a database on the formerly free subjects of the United Kingdom. It's a compromise solution. Isn't that great? And, by the way, they will still collect the information, but it just won't be stored in a central database, it will be stored by the service providers, and you can totally trust them with the information. What could possibly go wrong? And remember, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. It's for your own good. Trust us, we won't abuse this power.

My Way News - Congress to hold hearing on cable advertising
AP reports: "Cable operators will sit in the hot seat Thursday as Congress reviews their plans to roll out targeted advertising amid fears that consumer privacy could be infringed if the companies were to track and record viewing habits. [...] The hearing will also focus on how network operators track consumers online and through wireless networks. AT&T Inc. (ATT) is sending its chief privacy officer, Dorothy Attwood."

Google Profiles tool makes it easier to search out Smiths - USATODAY.com
USA Today reports: "Once you have the ID, you might be more inclined to shop with Google Checkout, post pictures at Picasa Web Albums or build a blog on Google's Blogger, all areas where Google stands to profit with either fees or ads, Sterling says. 'It deepens your engagement with Google.'"

My Way News - Gov't won't classify proxies as 'sophisticated'
AP reports: "The U.S. government has dropped - for now - a plan to classify the use of 'proxy' servers as evidence of sophistication in committing a crime. Proxy servers are computers that disguise the source of Internet traffic. They are commonly used for legitimate purposes, like evading Internet censors and working from home. But they can also be used to hide from law enforcement."

Comment: This is good news. It would have been counterproductive for the government to place a legal burden on the use of a technology that does a lot of good in the area of privacy and information security.

Whole-Body Security Scans Pass First Airport Tests - NYTimes.com
The New York Times reports: "IN a shift, the Transportation Security Administration plans to replace the walk-through metal detectors at airport checkpoints with whole-body imaging machines — the kind that provide an image of the naked body."

Comment: I'm not sure how I feel about this. I don't understand why we can't just be honest about the efficacy of racial profiling rather than subjecting everyone to increasingly intrusive searches.