It’s been coming for a while, and now it’s time to make the move — to HTTPS, the secure transfer protocol for web communications. Encrypted transmissions will become the norm as the web moves toward greater security. Traditional HTTP websites will soon be hit with INSECURE warnings from browsers and search ranking penalties from Google as HTTPS becomes the standard. Check with your developer or hosting company for specifics on converting to HTTPS.
Read full article: http://bit.ly/2sTrniC
Computer security is a big problem, especially considering the race that’s on to move everything about our lives online. This includes medical records, police files, work documents, purchase receipts, our movements and preferences, what we read, TV viewing, and on and on. Much of this is supposed to be private information, only available via secure login. But the reality is that hackers seem to access our information with relative ease. In contrast, we, the users, have to manage and remember a boatload of passwords to use our own information. The need to track, manage, update and vigilantly watch over all our accounts has given rise to the latest tech disease, security fatigue.
Security fatigue is defined in the study as a weariness or reluctance to deal with computer security. … The multidisciplinary team learned that the majority of their average computer users felt overwhelmed and bombarded, and they got tired of being on constant alert, adopting safe behavior, and trying to understand the nuances of online security issues.
Is just the thought of creating yet another password stressing you out? Read the full article at http://bit.ly/2e2zw0Y
“The Federal Communications Commission is proposing an ambitious 10-year plan that will reimagine the nation’s media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the country’s dominant communication network.”
So states the lead-in of a March 12, NY Times article that describes the government’s plans to advance the Internet and digital communication in our country. Government officials are interested in addressing disparities regarding how citizens access, use, and experience the Internet.
For several years, the US has trailed numerous countries in the quality and availability of Internet service. The question of how this affects our country, both competitively and economically, is becoming a concern, especially as more of life, including access to medical records, coordinating emergency services, education, and everyday business activity, becomes increasingly reliant on the ‘Net. And then there are the mega-interests — the telecoms, ISPs, entertainment and publishing industries, and electronics manufacturers, to name a few, that have important roles to play in the growth and direction of the Internet.
The blueprint reflects the government’s view that broadband Internet is becoming the common medium in the United States, gradually displacing the telephone and broadcast television industries.
Perhaps even more important is the so-called Digital Divide. “About a third of Americans have no access to high-speed Internet service, cannot afford it, or choose not to have it,” states the article. We have people who can’t afford access and/or devices, along with people who lack the skills or education to participate. On the other are people who choose not to participate. Will life in the US, especially economic life, require a connection? Will savvy users be favored? The possibility of leaving people out is a genuine concern.
Among several provisions, the plan calls for “a subsidy for Internet providers to wire rural parts of the country, an auction of some broadcast spectrum to free up space for wireless devices, and a new universal set-top box that connects to the Internet and cable service.”
This all sounds good, but if our society is to ultimately be “wired” and still depend on the free flow of information, many concerns come with it, including reliability, security, and privacy. We’d certainly enjoy having access to our favorite TV shows and movies whenever we want. But with so much vital information existing online, how safe is that information, how reliable are the systems that deliver it, and how does a government-wired world affect individuals’ freedom? Maybe China’s current Internet policies give us some clues? Hopefully, not.
Read full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/business/media/13fcc.html?hp