Book Reviews
![]() When the government is changing history: "Brewster Kahle's [...] Way Back Machine [...] has been collecting copies of the Internet since 1996. [...] On May 1, 2003, the Whitehouse's Office of the Press Secretary released this press release, announcing "President Bush Announces Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended." But then, with airbrush magic, now the same press release has been changed to this, which reports "President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended." No update on the page, no indication of when the change occurred, indeed, no indication that any change occurred at all. [...] Why would you need to check up on the Whitehouse, you might ask? Who would be so unAmerican as to doubt the veracity of the Press Office?" [Lessig Blog]
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![]() Biometrics: Prepare to be Scanned: "[S]ecurity systems based on biometrics--human characteristics such as faces, hand shapes and fingerprints--are finally taking off. [...] [B]ecause biometrics cannot be forgotten, like a password, or lost or stolen, like a key or an identity card, they are an ideal way to control access to computer networks, airport service-areas and bank vaults. [...] Many people would prefer not to have to submit their eyes for scanning in order to withdraw money from a cash dispenser." [Privacy Digest]
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![]() Jokes inflame 'e-mail epidemic': "The mass of e-mails produced daily is ramping up costs for firms due to archiving and storage problems." [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]
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