The Internet and the Pope

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, doesn't it? The Internet presents a platform for communication, Pope Francis wrote, letting people of different faiths and backgrounds interact. The pope is using the message to promote open conversation about things like faith. Pope Francis also added that while there are positives on the Internet, it can also ultimately serve to isolate users from friends and family.Even though we have application such as internet phone services, it can still serve to tear us apart because communication is much too easy so we can act on our impulses. On the other hand, it can connect people that are in different countries. Talking using video conferencing programs has different dynamics than talking face to face and many experts are saying that the younger generation is losing the ability to communicate with other people besides on the internet and behind a screen. These are too sides of the same coin and we have been here before when other new technology such as the telephone came out. Where do you think that we are headed?

Secure Your Phones

Your smartphone is probably a much more tempting target for cybercriminals than your desktop computer, and unless you take proper precautions, it's easier to hack as well. Think of it this way: Your computer might have sensitive work documents, banking information or personal records, but there are only a few ways people can access those files — in person, via a network or over the Internet. Your smartphone is almost always on, connected to the Internet, logged into your email and social media and other mobile applications, and likely has at least a username stored for your bank account. Your smartphone contains as much sensitive information as your wallet does — more, if you count the contact information for your family and friends. A smartphone is a whole different beast. Hackers do not represent the only mobile threat, either. Leaving your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality activated when you don't need to do so represents a considerable privacy risk.

Unplug for a Day

Just the other day was National Unplugging Day. Would you be able to completely go off the grid for 24 hours? Many people would probably go into shock and experience anxiety symptoms because it is hard to just let go of your internet phone services and constantly being in contact with people. I realize that the demands of the business world is that you have to be available 24/7. There are time when we need to unplug though. Participants are encouraged to put away their phones, tablets, laptops and other Internet-connected doodads from sunset Friday to sundown Saturday for a digital sabbath. The time might instead be used for quiet reflection, communing with nature, reconnecting with family or friends, focusing on a project and even getting a rare, uninterrupted night's sleep. How awesome would that be?! Just let the important people know that you are going off the grid before you do. They might report you missing otherwise.

Our Intelligence: Our Definitions

Clearly if other animals exhibit impressive intelligence appropriate to their environment, perhaps we are not as special as we've been taught. A good conversation with a dolphin about the latest cetacean gossip would be convincing evidence that humans are not the pinnacle of evolution, only the temporary pinnacle of one small twig on the tree of life.We humans have always thought of ourselves as particularly bright, proudly noting our compassion, humor, altruism and impressive capacity to generate language, mathematics, tools, art, and music along with computer development and software development. In citing this self-serving list, filtered to our benefit, we assume that humans possess, and other animals lack, these honorable traits or capabilities. We ignore the inconvenient fact that we choose to define and measure intelligence in terms of our greatest strengths. We arbitrarily exclude from the definition of intelligence higher brain functions in other animals. Enter the compelling interest in communication with dolphins. We would be low on the list of smart animals if we included in our basic definition of intelligence the ability to use self-generated sonar to explore the environment and to communicate.

Net Neutrality

Once upon a time, companies like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and others declared a war on the internet’s foundational principle: that its networks should be “neutral” and users don’t need anyone’s permission to invent, create, communicate, broadcast, or share online. The neutral and level playing field provided by permissionless innovation has empowered all of us with the freedom to express ourselves and innovate online without having to seek the permission of a remote telecom executive. But today, that freedom won’t survive much longer if a federal court — the second most powerful court in the nation behind the Supreme Court, the DC Circuit — is set to strike down the nation’s net neutrality law, a rule adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in 2010. If the neutrality is to go, so does meritocracy because it depends on the deals that are struck with the phone services and web service providers, not how great technology and coding a certain company has. Unfortunately there are plenty of loophole to go around.

Texting While Driving: Very Costly

As it turns out, texting-while-driving penalities vary widely from state to state. According to a new state-by-state analysis by Mother Jones, I would have gotten off easy — the offense carries a $20 base fine in California. But had I been driving in Alaska, I could have been facing not only a $10,000 ticket, but a year in prison as well. It may seem somewhat ridiculous that a simple text could carry such a stiff fine. But remember, more teenagers will die this year from texting behind the wheel than from drunk driving. And a recent research study shows that even hands-free texting is more dangerous than drunk driving. Most states’ penalties fall somewhere between California’s lax $20 charge and Alaska’s brutal $10,000 fine — the median national penalty is $100. But it’s important to remember that we’re only talking about base fines. Many states, counties and towns tack on extra fees and penalties to traffic offenses. I think that the penalties should be much more strict for all phone service usage behind the wheel. Including spelling a word in words with friends. It seems like the laws are lagging behind the technology.

Legallity and Your Social Network

Considering that most of us are on some sort of social network, we have to be aware of some of the legal consequences that come with sharing too much, and this even includes the VoIP systems. If your social network post or photo discloses criminal activity, you can be investigated and arrested. Although it may seem like you can remain anonymous online, nothing is private. Everything can and will be traced back to you. Before posting anything online, stop and ask yourself, "Will this post negatively affect me? Could it ever be used against me?" Don't be surprised if you go in for an interview and your potential employer has viewed your Facebook profile. Applicants for jobs or universities need to be aware of what's on their social network profile, not just what they post but what their friends add to their walls or tag them in. When you hire an attorney, you assume everything you tell them is keep in confidence. You are confident he or she will be trustworthy and keep all information confidential. This agreement means that whatever you disclose cannot be used against you in court. With such an agreement, don't be the one who breaches your own confidentiality by carelessly posting on Facebook.