Congress has warned Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook Inc. chief executive, that the era of self-regulation for social media is likely over, following Facebook’s data breach and Russia’s use of the social-media behemoth in its disinformation campaign during the 2016 presidential election. Zuckerberg agreed regulation is inevitable, even desirable. But how far it should go —… Read more »
Posts Categorized: IT and Politics
The risks of becoming a Google city
Waterfront Toronto’s eagerness to sign a deal with a Google sister company has alarmed experts who warn cities are easy prey for Big Tech and its unquenchable thirst for data. “Google isn’t going to be creating these urban innovations for the public good or the common welfare,” says Jathan Sadowski, a postdoctoral research fellow in… Read more »
Mark Zuckerberg says he wants to fix Facebook. His employees keep getting in the way.
A Facebook executive disclosed that the company wasn’t yet sure how to put in place Zuckerberg’s latest major directive: shifting the company’s metrics so that “meaningful interactions” are valued over likes and clicks, a response to the misinformation and reports about the harms of social media that drew attention last year. Source: Washington Post Date: March 1st,… Read more »
Electric car advocates hope for signal of government support in federal budget
Electric car advocates are hoping to get a signal in next week’s federal budget that the government is prepared to support sales across the country even as Ontario overtook Quebec for selling the most electric vehicles last year. Source: The Toronto Star Date: February 23rd, 2018 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2018/02/20/ontario-dethrones-quebec-as-province-with-most-electric-car-sales-in-2017.html Discussion 1) How might you become more involved in the… Read more »
Hi I’m Matt Hancock – British politician launches own app
New British culture secretary Matt Hancock has become the first MP to launch his own smartphone app. The app features picture galleries and videos of the West Suffolk MP and updates on his activities. It also allows users to sign up as friends and chat with other fans of the Matt Hancock app. First-time users… Read more »
Why Net Neutrality Will Be a Campaign Issue in 2018
IF YOU’RE SICK of hearing about net neutrality, we’ve got bad news: The issue’s only going to get bigger. Now that the Federal Communications Commission has jettisoned its rules banning internet service providers from blocking or discriminating against lawful content, the issue is heading for Congress. And if the activists who first brought the issue into the limelight… Read more »
Google’s Sidewalk Labs signs deal for ‘smart city’ makeover of Toronto’s waterfront
A unit of Google’s parent company, devoted to urban innovation, has signed a deal to map out a new kind of neighbourhood on Toronto’s waterfront that could demonstrate how data-driven technology can improve the quality of city life. On Tuesday, Sidewalk Labs, a division of Alphabet Inc., and the government agency Waterfront Toronto announced a partnership in… Read more »
Digital Solutions Can Help Even the Poorest Nations Prosper
AMONG THE SPENDING choices for governments of poorer nations, kick-starting the technological revolution may at first seem like a low priority. Compared with critical infrastructure, healthcare, or schools, improved digital access and less waiting times for birth certificates feel like luxuries that should come further down the road, or perhaps be left to private enterprise. But… Read more »
Russia, Facebook, the US election and when 126 million isn’t 126 million
As many as 126 million Americans may have seen content uploaded to Facebook by Russia-based operatives since 2015. That’s nearly half of the 270 million Americans who are old enough to be allowed a Facebook profile. The figure comes from the social network itself, which along with Google and Twitter, is preparing for a Senate hearing where… Read more »
Could Estonia be the first “digital country”?
Estonia says it’s the first country in the world to offer “e-residency” – granting anyone in the world a digital government ID and access to online services. Source: BBC Future News Date: October 20th, 2017 Link: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171019-could-estonia-be-the-first-digital-country Discussion 1) “in 2007, an infamous crisis in which Russia waged what’s considered the first cyberwar on Estonia. Banks had their servers… Read more »
Leading Titles
Introduction to Information Systems, 3rd Canadian Binder Ready Version Update Edition
R. Kelly Rainer, Casey G. Cegielski, Ingrid Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, Cristobal Sanchez-Rodriguez
ISBN: 978-1-119-13385-8
August 2015, © 2016
CDN $98.95; CDN $114.95