anti-terrorism
Latest
Israel will use anti-terrorist tracking tech to fight coronavirus outbreak
Israel's attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak might be the next to jeopardize privacy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has outlined plans to use anti-terrorism tracking technology to locate people in contact with those carrying the virus. He wasn't specific about the tech besides referencing "digital means" similar to those from Taiwan, but Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service confirmed to Reuters that it was looking at wielding its methods.
Drone catchers and face-detecting planes will guard the Olympics
South Korean authorities are adopting some pretty high-tech security measures for the upcoming Winter Olympics, including the deployment of drone-catching-drones and a tactical plane with facial recognition. The drones they're using to patrol the event won't chase away rogue drones that get too close to the venues: they'll cast nets to catch any UAV that shows up on the the security team's radar.
China anti-terrorism law makes firms give up encryption keys
If you were hoping that you could regularly rely on encrypted messaging services to keep your discussions private while you're in China, you're about to be disappointed. The country has passed an anti-terrorism law that requires companies to hand over encryption keys when officials want to spy on someone's communications. Officials swear that this isn't tantamount to requiring backdoors, but it's not exactly heartening news if you rely on any app or website where it's feasible to request those keys.
New York's anti-terror reporting app could easily cause problems
New York state is understandably more anxious than ever about terrorist threats, and it's hoping that some mobile technology will bolster its defenses. Governor Cuomo has launched a campaign that encourages New Yorkers to use See Something, Send Something, a smartphone app that helps you report suspicious activity to officials. While the software is already in use in five states, this promises to be its biggest test yet. It's coming to one of the most populous parts of the country, and one where terrorist attacks have been all too real.
Alt-week 7.21.12: Outer space, flying hotels and federal trolls
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. Whether you've got your head in the clouds, or your feet firmly locked on terra firma (or is that terrorist firma?) the last seven days in Alt have something for you. We look at a massive aircraft, that could revolutionize air travel as we know it, as well as look back at a real-world project that heralded a significant shift even further up in the sky. There's the NASA logo that never came to be, and lastly, for those less fond of heights, we hear how a US government department is heading in the other direction -- albeit culturally -- all in the fight against terror. This is alt-week.
