Comments on: Code Name: Miranda

By: Ryan Singel

Ryan Singel — Sun, 07 May 2006 13:48:30 +0000

Round these parts, the nice lady working the checkout counter suggested that I use the local pizza place’s number, which is very simple to remember, something like 585-5858.
Together we’ve racked up quite the benefit level on wine purchase.

By: Simson Garfinkel

Simson Garfinkel — Sun, 07 May 2006 08:39:38 +0000

Come hear what happened to Admiral Poindexter’s Project…
Workshop on Data Surveillance and Privacy Protection
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Harvard University
INVITATION
On June 3, 2006 Harvard University’s Center for Research on Computation and Society will hold a day-long workshop on Data Surveillance and Privacy Protection.
Data Surveillance is quickly moving from the world of research to the world of practice. While the media is preoccupied with NSA wiretaps and the accidental release of names and social security numbers, information is increasingly being collected, correlated and data-mined for use by law enforcement, counter-terrorism, and commercial marketers.
Although there has been significant public attention to the civil liberties issues of data surveillance over the past few years, there has been little discussion of the actual techniques that could be employed in any but the most restricted settings. Likewise, there has been little discussion of methods and technologies for conducting data surveillance while respecting privacy and preserving civil liberties.
The Center for Research on Computation and Society (CRCS) is a new research center with a mission to develop a clear understanding of issues of technology and public policy where technology actually makes a difference, and to pursue innovative computer science and technology research informed by that understanding.
Keynote speaker:
Robert Popp, PhD, is currently an Executive Vice President of Aptima, Inc., and formerly a senior executive within the Defense Department, serving in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he was Deputy of the Information Awareness Office and Total Information Awareness (TIA) program.
Other featured speakers include:
John Bliss, JD, Privacy Strategist, IBM Entity Analytic Solutions
Philippe Golle, PhD, Palo Alto Research Center.
Kenneth Mandl, MD, M.P.H., Director, Center for Biopreparedness, Boston’s Children’s Hospital
Jeff Ubois, Internet Archive
Rebecca Wright, PhD, Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology
James Bamford, author, Body of Secrets
REGISTRATION and INFORMATION
The workshop is free but you must register to attend.
For more information on the workshop and to register, please visit:
http://crcs.deas.harvard.edu/workshop/2006/

By: Anon

Anon — Sat, 06 May 2006 18:49:17 +0000

Also, if you have a few minutes to spare, try 555-1212 in whatever local area code the store’s in. If it fails, sign up for a bogus card using that phone number.
Cypherpunks write code.

By: Chris Adams

Chris Adams — Sat, 06 May 2006 15:06:50 +0000

I’ve yet to find a place which doesn’t take my employer’s main number – with 1200 people the odds are high that someone else has already registered it.

By: Adam

Adam — Sat, 06 May 2006 15:00:12 +0000

hmmmm…..That seems a fixable bug. Can you sign up for cards online? :)

By: Chris Walsh

Chris Walsh — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:57:40 +0000

The idea is that they look up the loyalty card info with the phone number as a key. Apparently, there are far fewer cards than numbers, so selecting a random (valid) phone number is not likely to succeed.

By: Adam

Adam — Sat, 06 May 2006 13:24:13 +0000

They require a card, and a phone number? If you leave the card at home, what happens if you just make up a phone number? I've long been at 773 404 2827.