PRIVACY + SECURITY BLOG

News, Developments, and Insights

high-tech technology background with eyes on computer display

Cartoon: Nothing to Hide

Cartoon Nothing to Hide 02 small

Here’s a cartoon about the nothing-to-hide argument. One of the most common arguments of those unconcerned about government surveillance or privacy invasions is “I’ve got nothing to hide.” I wrote a book addressing this argument and other faulty arguments made in the debate about privacy versus security. Recently, I posted the full text of my […]

Cartoon: Implantable Devices and Privacy

Cartoon Implantable Devices - TeachPrivacy Privacy Training 02 small

This cartoon is about implantable devices and privacy.  Increasingly devices require subscriptions, and there is tremendous lock in, as the devices can only work with a particular company’s services. Implantable devices up the ante – a person could be locked in for life.  The law must address lock in with more than data portability. When […]

Cartoon: Profiling

This cartoon is about profiling. A profile consists of a particular set of characteristics and behaviors that are deemed as suspicious by law enforcement.  Profiles can be created by people or generated by algorithms that identify suspicious things from data of known criminals or terrorists.

Cartoon: Privacy Harms

Cartoon Privacy Harms - TeachPrivacy Privacy Training 02 small

Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision, TransUnion v. Ramirez (U.S. June 25, 2021), prompted me to release this cartoon about privacy harms that I created a while ago.  In TransUnion, a group of plaintiffs sued TransUnion for falsely labeling them as potential terrorists in their credit reports. The Supreme Court held that only some plaintiffs had standing […]

Cartoon: Data Ethics

Cartoon Data Ethics - TeachPrivacy Privacy Training 01 small

This cartoon is about “data ethics,” a term for when companies make an effort to review the ethical ramifications of their activities involving personal data. I generally applaud looking at ethics broadly because it avoids being unduly constrained in its focus by narrow conceptions of privacy.  But there often isn’t sufficient rigor in the analysis […]

Cartoon: Video Recording

Cartoon Video Social Media - TeachPrivacy Privacy Training 02 small

This cartoon focuses on video recording – how people readily whip out their phones to record events involving people in distress. The “bystander effect” is often invoked to describe the phenomenon of why people watch an emergency unfold without trying to help the victim. Perhaps there should be a modern update to the “bystander effect” […]

Cartoon: The Relationship Between Privacy and Data Security

Cartoon Privacy and Security 01

I created this cartoon to highlight the relationship between privacy and data security. Privacy and data security are deeply interrelated.  Unfortunately, privacy is often overlooked as a key dimension of keeping data secure.  Minimizing data collection and ensuring that data isn’t retained for longer than needed both improve security immensely.  When there’s a data breach, […]