CIA on the Internet

Being connected to the Internet as an institution has always been risky in the sense that human errors cause leakages - thus reveal information to the public that should have been confidential. Sometimes this chance is exploited as potential cyber-terrorism to increase security spending.

It is also clear that private data is on the web, and this not only happens when big banks lose data. It happens when you blog, when you log in to Friendster or post your resume online.

Anyway - how would a CIA agent feel if their personal data are found online?

It is amazing but the Chicago Tribune actually discovered the identity of over 2,653 CIA employees online. Not all are working under cover. "More than 160 are intelligence analysts, an occupation that is not considered a covert position, and senior CIA executives are also included on the list."

Still, this leaves a huge number and probably a huge liability.

So it is not only you who is revealing information about yourself online, but also your employer. Because, think about that: If it is the CIA how save is your employer? So, forget about anonymity when the Internet rules.

(By Asia Business Consulting)

Public voting in Malaysia

Want to tell your policiticians how you feel about certain issues?

In Malaysia you now can. The government launched its public opinion poll system last Saturday, making Malaysia one of the few countries in the world where opinion polls are conducted by the public sector. The public can vote via online webpages or SMS to state their opinion regarding certain issues.

This is really one of the first countries to embark on such a journey and is proof of the openness and transparency that the government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants to embark upon.

The question, however, is the workability of this initiative. Will the webpages be updated? Will they work constantly, even when many hits hit them throughout the day?

And, most important. What happens to the result? Such polls or initiatives create expectations. Will the public be informed about the results, the outcome and conclusions?

Overall, it is an interesting experiment. Clinton "ruled the US" successfully by getting in touch with the voters using Focus Groups. I wonder if the Malaysian government will succeed in this initiative.

(By Asia Business Consulting)

Copyright, the Internet and schools

Is it possible to say that Internet provision in schools is crucial to education? Even so it depends on what you are doing with the Internet is school, I would believe it is an important tool to prepare children and youth for a challenging work environment in which learning and constant education is crucial.

Schools always faced the conflict with teachers that simply copied pages from books to distribute those to their students. This was so in my time and will be so in the future.

How would it be if these schools are now challenged by copyright issues of material that they use for their lessons?

I believe it is great for someone whose material is used in the classroom. Doesn't it show certain qualification of the material that is posted on the web, or of your reputation?

In Australia, schools "have warned they will have to turn off the internet if a move by the nation's copyright collection society forces them to pay a fee every time a teacher instructs students to browse a website.

Isn't this plain .... stupid?

(By Asia Business Consulting)

Punishment in China for sending porn messages

China put a stop to a variety of societal nuisances (pun intended).

Now one can end up to nine days' detention for "repeatedly send text messages containing pornographic, threatening or fraudulent information." Is this depending on the definition of porn provided by the government or ... - just kidding.

Pet owners who "have purposely intimidated or even harmed others using their animals can be detained for up to nine days and fined up to 500 yuan." It happens!

The same punishment applies to a "person who violates the privacy of others by peeping at, secretly taking pictures of, or eavesdropping on those engaged in private, but legal, activities." Does this involve peeping as a job of security officers or peeping into other people's email?

People who sing or play loud music, thereby disturbing others, may be fined up to 500 yuan. Sadly for those who can sing well but whose nice organ doesn't receive the respect they deserve.

(By Asia Business Consulting)