Hi everyone, Minutes of Thursday 2 October meetup: <<EOF Administration -------------- - We now have a group page on LibrePlanet wiki: http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:LibrePlanet_Brisbane. I will be updating it with details of past meetups. - Our usual meetup time for November clashes with OSDC. For November, will probably have some sort of meetup down on the Gold Coast during OSDC. Ideas welcome. News ---- - FSF endorses libreCMC router distro. - Announcement: http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-adds-librecmc-to-endorsed-distros-list - libreCMC website: http://librecmc.org/ - Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification of ThinkPenguin WiFi router. - Announcement: https://www.fsf.org/news/thinkpenguin-wireless-router-now-fsf-certified-to-r... - Runs libreCMC. - Third RYF-certified product by ThinkPenguin - FSF & Debian collaborate to improve h-node hardware compatability directory. - Announcement: http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-and-debian-join-forces-to-help-free-software-use... - FSF statement on new Apple products, services: https://fsf.org/news/free-software-foundation-statement-on-the-new-iphone-ap... - shellshock - Catastrophic remote execution vulnerability in GNU bash. - FSF statement: https://fsf.org/news/free-software-foundation-statement-on-the-gnu-bash-shel... - GNOME 3.14 released - http://www.gnome.org/news/2014/09/gnome-3-14-released/ - Conferences: - OSDC 4-7 Nov Gold Coast: http://2014.osdc.com.au/ - Want to help out? v o l u n t e e r (at) o s d c (dot) c o m (dot) a u - linux.conf.au 12-16 Jan Auckland: http://linux.conf.au/ - LibrePlanet 2015 21-22 Mar Cambridge, MA: https://www.libreplanet.org/2015 - Theme: "Free Software Everywhere" - CfP closes 2/11: https://www.libreplanet.org/2015/call_for_sessions/ - Discussion on Matthew Garrett blog post "My free software will respect users or it will be bullshit" - http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/32686.html Talk ---- Andrew Roffey gave a talk about free software and privacy. Slides at http://andrew.roffey.org/fs-privacy-final.pdf. Notes below. Disclosure: Roffey is board member of the Australian Privacy Foundation (APF); was not speaking as representative of APF. What is privacy? - A human right. - Freedom from intrusion and interference. Freedom to seclude oneself. - Information privacy; privacy and how it relates to information systems. - CCTV example - only an information privacy issue as of recently due to facial recog software. - Before 1990s, information privacy wasn't as much an issue. - Didn't collect massive data on people. - General life activities were more or less anonymous by default ∴ few information privacy issues. - Information privacy issues generally occur once info has been collected. - Note on anonymity: - Has been around a very long time; only recently being taken away. Why privacy is important: - Freedom of speech; chilling effect. - Social networks monitored by employers, govt, etc limits free expression. Threats to privacy: - Mass collection of data - Number plate recognition; all travel used to be more or less anonymous; now not so much. - ATMs, EFTPOS; all transactions used to be more or less anonymous; no longer so. - Collection of geolocation info from phones. - Individuals' *choice* to privacy is under threat. - Companies using personal/personally identifying info. - Social network "real name" policies (e.g. Facebook, Google+) - 3rd party cookies tracking your web usage. - "The Cloud" - Don't store your data on *your* computer, store it on *their* computer. - Gmail keyword scanning, ostensibly for more relevant ads but involves huge amounts of personal data collection. - Data subject to patriot act; US Govt can collect it without notification. - Snowden revelations: companies cooperate with NSA to give them access (or at least don't impede them). - Australian government "metadata" access. - Not content of comms, but everything else e.g. parties involved, durations, locations (physical or network), etc. - Mandatory data retention; all of this data being retained by ISPs for long duration should govt wish to access. - Skype - Microsoft hits server after previously unadvertised server address sent in msg. - They are reading your messages. - http://is.gd/7Qh773 - Ubuntu/Microsoft computer search bars - Sends content of "start menu" searches to Amazon/Microsoft - On by default (can be disabled) - Reveals personal information including. information about computer use habits to companies. - Mobile phone tracking - We know they're doing it in US - In Australia by law the capability must exist for emergency use (000/112 call) but we don't know if/how often it is being used by authorities. - Eavesdropping: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1029-6140191.html - E-reader/music/movie/entertainment store purchases. Free software and privacy: - Freedom 0: you can be in control of your computer. - Proprietary EULAs can add usage conditions and *permit* privacy invasions. - Freedom 1 (modification): malicious or questionable features can be removed, and privacy features can be added/improved. Bugs can be fixed. - Freedoms 2 and 3: Important that people can *share* programs with privacy-enhancing improvements. Why free software is important: - Legislation *can* help (or hinder) but is rarely cross-jurisdictional. - Laws can't keep up fast enough (even if law-makers are trying to protect citizen privacy). - Software can move a lot faster to improve user privacy and address issues. Some privacy-related free software: - Network - Tor (anonymity on internet). See also Tor browser bundle. - GNUnet - Web - GNU Icecat: blocks 3rd party cookies, pixel images/cookies, LibreJS built in (only runs free javascript) - Email - GnuPG (email encryption; parties known) - bitmessage (parties anonymous) - Chat - Tox (Skype replacement; FSF high priority project) - Payment - Bitcoin - Utilities - bleachbit and shred (data shredding/cleaning) - full disk encryption solutions - Federated social networks: - Look after your own data - Diaspora - Operating systems - Replicant; aims to be completely free distribution of Android - GNOME has a strong focus on privacy Related groups: - Free Software Foundation/GNU project - rms has announced that privacy and communications is a new focus for GNU. - Electronic Frontier Foundation and Electronic Frontiers Australia - no speciifc organisational committment to free software but a lot of common goals. Also interested in censorship, copyright, information policy, security etc. - Australian Privacy Foundation - Civil Liberties Australia EOF Thanks to everyone who came along - a new attendance record! Stay tuned for info about the November meeting. If you have something you'd like to present on or news or discussion topics you'd like covered at a future meeting, drop me a line. Cheers, Fraser