California consumers get new smartphone remote lock law, plus tips for iPhone users

California Governor Jerry Brown signed a new law today that requires smartphone phone manufacturers to put a “kill switch” (remote lock) in phones, and to turn it on by default. Lawmakers have stated that they see this as an important way to reduce smart phone crimes. For consumers, it’s a way to prevent our personal information from getting into the wrong hands when we misplace, lose, or otherwise are missing our smartphones.

Apple users can already use Find My iPhone as a remote lock. Specifically, a feature called Activation Lock within Find My iPhone is full remote lock. Activation Lock is automatically enabled when you turn on Find My iPhone in iOS 7. If you have an older iOS iPhone with Find My iPhone activated, when you upgrade to ios7, you will find that Activation Lock will be automatically enabled. (From Apple Support.)

Articles and Related:

Posted August 26, 2014 in Identity Theft, iPhone, Mobile Apps, Mobile Privacy, Privacy Law, Privacy News

Global Visualization of Countries with Data Privacy Laws, Treaties, or Conventions

Background and Methodology: The conceptualization and initial research for this...
New Report: Risky Analysis: Assessing and Improving AI Governance Tools

We are pleased to announce the publication of a new WPF report, “Risky Analysis: Assessing and Improving AI Governance Tools.” This report sets out a definition of AI governance tools, documents why and how these tools are critically important for trustworthy AI, and where these tools are around the world. The report also documents problems in some AI governance tools themselves, and suggests pathways to improve AI governance tools and create an evaluative environment to measure their effectiveness. AI systems should not be deployed without simultaneously evaluating the potential adverse impacts of such systems and mitigating their risks, and most of the world agrees about the need to take precautions against the threats posed. The specific tools and techniques that exist to evaluate and measure AI systems for their inclusiveness, fairness, explainability, privacy, safety and other trustworthiness issues — called in the report collectively AI governance tools – can improve such issues. While some AI governance tools provide reassurance to the public and to regulators, the tools too often lack meaningful oversight and quality assessments. Incomplete or ineffective AI governance tools can create a false sense of confidence, cause unintended problems, and generally undermine the promise of AI systems. The report contains rich background details, use cases, potential solutions to the problems discussed in the report, and a global index of AI Governance Tools.
National IDs Around the World — Interactive map

About this Data Visualization: This interactive map displays the presence...

California consumers get new smartphone remote lock law, plus tips for iPhone users

More on Activation Lock for iPhone users:

Articles and Related: