The month of June is upon us and on the 25th I'll be heading to Oxfordshire for a picnic beside the grave of Eric Arthur Blair. This will be the eighth year running where a number of us have made the pilgrimage to share in a conversation on George Orwell's birthday. A mini informal symposium. A chat around mass surveillance, consumer data and our civil liberties. Accompanied of course with … [Read more...] about Books on Privacy and Surveillance
1984
The Picnic is a Political Act
On June the 25th 2014, it will be the seventh continual year there has been a symposium (picnic) at George Orwell’s grave. It's also of course his birthday. Back in 2007 we sat on the grass sharing food and drink, experiences and stories. As we have done every year since. Asking questions, discussing threatened freedoms and eroded civil liberties... all things Orwellian. We once used the … [Read more...] about The Picnic is a Political Act
Autographer, a review of the world first intelligent wearable camera.
I first got to have a play with the Autographer in March 2013. listen to ‘Seeing the unseen with @Autographer’ on Audioboo I had previously heard of Oxfords Metrics Group and their earlier sense cam designed to assist Alzheimer sufferers, but on this occasion I was specifically there to see the prototype device destined to put this evolved medical technology in the hands of the … [Read more...] about Autographer, a review of the world first intelligent wearable camera.
Cloud storage and that syncing feeling
What do I want with yet another cloud back-up and syncing service? Well free space for a start. Storage space for sharing my media, be it books, images, music and films etc. And then there is the ability to sync data across my apps and devices. My main workhorse is Dropbox but I get a little nervous when something works this well and I become dependent. Especially when I haven't paid for the … [Read more...] about Cloud storage and that syncing feeling
Are we finally living in 1984?
How do you feel about the world we are creating right now? What were your thoughts when the #PRISM news hit the headlines and Edward Snowden appeared in your browser saying these words?.. "If living unfreely but comfortably is something you’re willing to accept, and I think many of us are, it’s the human nature, you can get up every day, you can go to work, you can collect your large paycheck … [Read more...] about Are we finally living in 1984?