Newsletter Archives

• Looking back, looking forward

  Posted on January 20, 2025 at 02:44 CST by Max Stul Oppenheimer • Comment in the Forums

  LEGAL BRIEF

  

  By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq.

  The big tech story of 2024 was, by far, artificial intelligence.

  Although it was often portrayed as sui generis (Latin for “we’ve never seen anything like it, and we need to start thinking from scratch …”), the emergence of artificial intelligence into public use and consciousness highlighted (and added urgency to) old issues, more than it created any new ones.

  The questions — who owns personal information, where does the right to privacy begin and end, what are the limits of copyright’s fair use doctrine, to what extent can free speech be controlled in the interest of other rights (such as privacy or the protection of minors) — are not new, nor even recent.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.03.0, 2025-01-20).

  Legal Brief Adult websites, Artificial Intelligence, Chevron Doctrine, Data Privacy Act, Loper, Net neutrality, Newsletters, Privacy, TikTok

• The US has banned Kaspersky software — should you worry?

  Posted on October 14, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.42 • 2024-10-14

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  The popular Kaspersky antivirus program quietly disabled itself on computers in the US last month, making millions of users fear malware had struck them.

  The switcheroo was prompted by the US government banning Kaspersky Lab, a Russia-based company, from sending updates to American devices after September 29, 2024. Kaspersky had sent out an email — which many users didn’t read or felt was unclear — before its app shut down on September 19. Kaspersky then remotely installed on US computers a little-known antivirus alternative called UltraAV.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.42.0, 2024-10-14).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Public Defender Antivirus, Kaspersky, Microsoft Defender, Newsletters, Privacy, Security, UltraAV, Windows Defender

• Why Proton means privacy

  Posted on October 7, 2024 at 02:44 CDT by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  If you want privacy in your email, cloud storage, and other parts of your digital life, then go to Proton’s suite of very secure but easy-to-use services.

  Proton is a Swiss company with a suite of familiar services – email, cloud storage, VPN – but with an important difference: Proton is serious about privacy. Others, such as OneDrive and Dropbox, talk about privacy but aren’t so great in delivering it.

  In this article, I’ll focus on the three important offerings of Proton and its free plans for private encrypted email, secure cloud storage, and properly private VPN.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.41.0, 2024-10-07).

  Microsoft 365 Cloud storage, Email, Email security, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (new), Privacy, Proton, Secure Email, Security, VPN

• Redaction made easy for screen shots and PDFs

  Posted on September 30, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Peter Deegan

  Both Windows and Mac have tools to remove (redact) details from screenshots and PDFs before sharing. As usual, there are some hidden traps that I’ll help you avoid.

  My recent article on screenshots got a lot of forum comments, with some folks asking for more help with redaction tools. Given the slightest encouragement, I’m willing to dive in.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.40.0, 2024-09-30).

  Windows 11 macOS Preview, Newsletters, Privacy, Redaction, Security, Snipping Tool, Windows Paint

• What is OneDrive Personal Vault, and should you use it?

  Posted on September 16, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  ONEDRIVE

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Personal Vault offers an extra layer of security for sensitive or confidential files stored in OneDrive. Here’s why and how I use it.

  I use Microsoft’s OneDrive. I know some people find fault with it, partly because it doesn’t always work properly and partly because it requires an intrusive Microsoft account. But as someone who has to juggle multiple computers and mobile devices, I rely on OneDrive not just for backing up my files but also for syncing them across all my devices.

  Because my documents, photos, and other important files are housed in OneDrive, I need a way to secure them from unwanted access.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.38.0, 2024-09-16).

  OneDrive Newsletters, OneDrive, Personal Vault, Privacy, Security, Windows 10, Windows 11

• Tracking protection in Edge: Going to bat for privacy

  Posted on July 1, 2024 at 02:41 CDT by Mary Branscombe • Comment in the Forums

  BROWSERS

  

  By Mary Branscombe

  Microsoft Edge builds in protection from tracking pixels and scripts that follow you around, and without breaking the websites you use.

  Ever noticed how ads for products you’ve looked at on some shopping sites seem to follow you around the Web? Or how much Facebook and Google know about you?

  That’s thanks to third-party tracking scripts and pixels embedded on the sites you visit.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.27.0, 2024-07-01).

  Browsers Edge, Newsletters, Privacy, Tracking Protection, Web Browsers

• OneDrive and File Explorer

  Posted on June 17, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.25 • 2024-06-17

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Will Fastie

  Things are not going so well for Windows 11’s new File Explorer.

  But it might be OneDrive’s fault.

  In fact, it’s not really possible to discuss File Explorer without including OneDrive, and vice versa. They are inextricably linked now, a probable source of many problems with synchronization. And there may be a deeper problem, buried somewhere in Windows 11, that is the source of a strange behavior described below.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.25.0, 2024-06-17).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Windows 11 File Explorer, Newsletters, OneDrive, OneDrive Settings, Privacy, Synchronization, User Profile

• Protecting yourself from AI deepfakes

  Posted on May 20, 2024 at 02:44 CDT by Max Stul Oppenheimer • Comment in the Forums

  LEGAL BRIEF

  

  By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq.

  It has been apparent for some time that developments in generative artificial intelligence present serious potential for harm.

  A recent example has made the problem concrete.

  On January 17, 2024, the Baltimore Sun broke the news with the headline “Baltimore County Public Schools investigating Pikesville High principal’s alleged ‘highly offensive’ recording.”

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.21.0, 2024-05-20).

  Legal Brief AI, Deepfakes, Generative AI, Legal, Newsletters, Privacy, Revenge, Security
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