New passports issued in the UK contain Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips, supposedly for purposes of increased security. But a report in the British newspaper The Guardian found the passports surprisingly easy to read and copy. Using a device purchased for £250, a Guardian reporter was able to...

Back in April 2006, it came to light that the Smithsonian Institution had signed an exclusive 30-year deal with Showtime to create a new cable channel. The catch? It effectively would give Showtime exclusive access to the Smithsonian collections for certain uses. Read our previous posts (1, 2,...

There is a video that international self-help group the Landmark Forum really does not want anyone anywhere in the world to see, and it's misusing copyright law to make sure that happens. The latest target is Australia's Cult Awareness & Information Centre.
It all started in France, where...

According to a recent release from the Australian Digital Alliance (a coalition of Australian universities, software companies, libraries, schools, museums, galleries and individuals), the Copyright Amendment Bill being rushed through the Australian legislature will be bad news not just for consumers, but also for innovators Down Under:
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Despite complaints from privacy advocates and parents, schools in states across the country are considering using fingerprint scans to track students. Kids at Sandlapper Elementary in Columbia, South Carolina have their fingerprints scanned to pay for their breakfast and check out library books, while officials at the Hope Elementary School...

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips are being used in new US passports and may be part of new standards for state-issued drivers licenses', among other government issued IDs. But a report from none other than the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) might prevent inappropriate implementations of this privacy-leaking technology...