Statue of Liberty image Copyright 2007 by gadl, used under Creative Commons license.
Electronic Frontiers Forums is independently produced and has no official connection to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, though we greatly admire their work. Electronic Frontiers Forums originated with Electronic Frontiers Georgia, an independent local activist group.
Some say the Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves over surveillance programs revealed by Edward Snowden, but others say that if George Washington were alive he would be reading our emails. We’ll travel through time to the colonial post and Victorian New York City in search of the truth.
How do you change the world when there are such an overwhelming number of problems today? Does activism mean having to get arrested or does it require civil disobedience? We’ll explore the tenets of our democracy and ways to work within the system to make the world a better place.
Andrew Greenberg, David Maass, Amie Stepanovich, Hayden Barnes
CODE documentary exposes the dearth of American female and minority software engineers and explores the reasons for this gender gap. CODE raises the question: What would society gain from having more women and minorities code?
Elonka Dunin (Moderator), Tracey Wilson
Hilton Room 201, Attendance: 57
[ No audio recorded ]
4:00 p.m.
Rule 41: The FBI’s New License to Hack? (and the Stop Mass Hacking Act)
An obscure change to rules of criminal procedure would allow the FBI to hack computers anywhere in the world regardless of collateral damage. The “Stop Mass Hacking Act” has been proposed in Congress to rein in this overreach. Will it be enacted before December when the change goes into effect?
Kevin Bankston, Amie Stepanovich (Moderator), Kurt Opsahl
Let’s Encrypt provides free encryption certificates for any public web site, but with no guarantees of correct identity. What are the benefits, and how is this new valuable resource being abused?
Forensics and Cyber Forensics Are Lies (and are Not Science)
In court, juries give a lot of weight to forensic science and evidence (thanks to police TV shows). However, most of it isn’t science, and it’s often overhyped or falsified. So why does this “CSI Effect” happen, and what can be done about it?
It’s a jungle out there when you’re trying to find a partner online. We’ll tell you how to not only survive but thrive in the wild world of online dating.
National Security Letters: Past, Present, and Future
We’ll take a look at how National Security Letters — secret government demands for Internet user information issued directly by the FBI — have been used and abused in the past, and at how some in Congress are trying to expand this warrantless search power even further.
Kevin Bankston (Moderator), Blair B. Chintella, Christina Rudy, Kurt Opsahl
Oracle initially sued and largely prevailed on the question of whether Java API’s used in Android constitute a copyright violation. Then Oracle lost in a later trial on the question of fair use. The fair use question will be appealed, with ramifications for every software developer.
FBI vs. Apple vs. Grey Hats and the Future of Encryption
Law enforcement is clamoring to get at data protected in locked mobile phones, while manufacturers assert that weakening the locks would compromise security for all. Are Grey Hats the right way to compromise on this difficult issue?
Kevin Bankston, Blair B. Chintella (Moderator), Kurt Opsahl, Amie Stepanovich, TJ Mihill, Drew Porter, saurik
Internet Marketing (for Authors): Conquering Social Media
Tips, tricks, and advice for the novice or seasoned authors to navigate Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. We will take a brief look at the various platforms where authors promote, and break down the common themes for utilizing them for maximum engagement in conjunction with book sales.
Law Enforcement has access to a growing array of new investigative technologies that can be used in the field as the law enforcement tech industry has exploded. How many of these solutions are any good, and do they all pass constitutional muster?
SWATing, Doxxing, and death threats are becoming more and more common. Sometimes it’s an obsessive ex, a jealous fan that takes things too far, or sometimes it’s “just for the lulz”. How can you preempt them and protect your privacy without turning into a digital hermit?
The UK Investigatory Powers Bill makes “1984” look tame by comparison. Is this an overreaction to recent threats of terrorism? How does the British system differ from guarantees provided by the American constitution, and why should Americans be concerned by legal issues overseas?
How close are you to a copyright violation when writing fan fiction or dressing up as a copyrighted character? How do you know if you are infringing, and what legal protections are available? Should laws be changed to allow non-profit fanfic and cosplay regardless of the copyright owner’s wishes?
Courtney Lytle, Meredith Rose (Moderator), Erica Farmer
We’ll take a look back at the times it got easier for users (bootroom exploits and browser-based jailbreaks), how it recently has been getting harder (tethered jailbreaks and KPP), what is changing with Apple, and what the future may bring for this alternative platform.
What are niche markets for writers, and what are the special considerations that writers face when writing for them? Are there truly financial opportunities to be had in writing for niche markets? What makes the most business sense?
Sascha Illyvich (Moderator), Gail Z. Martin, Andrew Greenberg, Holly Bryant-Simpson, Nico Murray, Tyra Burton, Alex Hofelich, EJ Stevens, Elaine Calloway, Stephanie Burke
How is today’s science fiction affecting tomorrow’s laws and policy? Are there any unintended side effects? What are the great positive effects? Are there any meaningful impacts at all?
Kevin Bankston, Scott Sigler, David Maass, Meredith Rose (Moderator), Mika McKinnon
Knowing and asserting your rights along with common sense can greatly improve the outcome of any police encounter. Documentary by flexyourrights.org. A question and answer session will follow the film.
What defines this age-old term in a brave new (online) world? Twitter deletes accounts of dissidents, Facebook’s secret psychological studies of users, pressuring search engines to modify censor results, the Great Firewall of China, government IP addresses modifying Wikipedia pages…
CISA Cybersecurity Provisions Passed in the 2016 Omnibus Budget Bill
The CISA bill (Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act) was long opposed by activists as an expansion of the current surveillance state. It was attached to the omnibus budget bill and passed over strenuous objections. What does it say and how does it affect IT infosec departments across the country?
GovtSurveillanceEarlyAmerHistory.mp3
GovtSurveillanceEarlyAmerHistory.ogg