As with any device that ups the ante on usage and reach, added security risks and vulnerability come hand-in-hand—and in this case, fashion issues as well.

Google has been busy hyping Google Glass, as it unleashes the futuristic specs on developers and journalists to test drive. It released a tutorial video this week, demonstrating how the glasses work. 

But as developers pour over the specs of the device, several security loopholes have been discovered, causing already existing security concerns to rise. Jay Freeman, iOS and Android developer discovered that an Android hacking technique could compromise the Glass headset, gaining complete control of its operating system and potentially allowing the installation of surveillance malware. 

This “Explorer” version of Glass that developers received doesn’t have a PIN code or authentication protection, so when left on and unattended, the device is vulnerable to hacking. A USB cable could be attached to the headset and used to gain full "root" access to the device, which could allow surveillance programs to be installed. Such programs could upload a user's photos, video and audio to a remote server.Continue reading...

Six European nations are challenging Google's privacy policies it emerged on Tuesday—just after the announcement that its privacy director was stepping down. Later this year, when Google Glass hits the market, privacy issues are already emerging as Google’s wearable tech, estimated retail price $1,500, brings seismic change to the scientific landscape and to what's possible with personal computing.

Google, on the defensive, argues that its already-filled "Glass Explorer" program of Google Glass public beta-testers "will give all of us the chance to be active participants in shaping the future of this technology, including its features and social norms."Continue reading...

Marketers beware: think carefully before placing promotional messages that require disclosures or disclaimers to avoid being deceptive or unfair, according to new regulations announced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC has revised its Dot Com Disclosures guide to reflect the rise of mobile platforms, leaving no room for lack of requisite disclosures even in smaller spaces with finer print. The original guide, released in 2000, pre-dated smartphones, tablets and mobile—not to mention the dominance of social media as a marketing platform.

The new guidelines, released Tuesday, emphasize "that consumer protection laws apply equally to marketers across all mediums, whether delivered on a desktop computer, a mobile device, or more traditional media such as television, radio, or print."Continue reading...

Of all the big brands making a marketing push at SXSW, Google may be the most popular. The internet giant is happily showing off the many capabilities of Google Glass, and has revealed the first set of app integrations available for the futuristic glasses (which are even adding prescription lenses).

At the Project Glass SXSW developer panel, Google has revealed some of the technology behind the unified "Timeline cards" interface, which displays bursts of information in a user's peripheral vision in combination with Google's Mirror API, which allows users to pull down the data. 

News headlines, photos and text can be delivered hourly to the Glass headset accessed via the "look up" head gesture. At the panel, Google developer advocate Timothy Jordan demonstrated an application that pulls in headlines and short news clips from various New York Times articles. Glass allows postings to Skitch, Evernote and Path, as well as Gmail, letting users respond to emails right from the headset. "You can still have access to the technology that you love, but it doesn't take you out of the moment," said Jordan, adding, "We want to choose services that improve your life."Continue reading...

Will Facebook’s newly unveiled social graph feature soon bring the company profit and additional relevance? 

Mixed reactions are meeting Graph Search, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg called "one of the coolest things we've done in a while" in announcing the feature on Tuesday.

Graph Search enables search using natural language and replaces links to answers with direct results. Sample searches include “Movies my friends in San Francisco like,” “Photos my friends took in the 1990s,” and “Languages my friends from college speak.”

"This is a beta product," Zuckerberg said at the company's rollout event in Menlo Park, Calif. "We focused on a few use cases that we think are good. Even as an early product, Graph Search is a completely new way for people to get information on Facebook."Continue reading...

Two federal actions regarding online privacy for U.S. consumers shed light on the increasing complexity of digital safeguards in today’s wired world.

Flanked by bipartisan legislators and both Houses, the Federal Trade Commission unveiled proposed changes and updates to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa). The legislation was introduced in 1998, a lifetime ago in the social networking milieu of 2012.

The Washington Post calls the FTC proposal a "landmark update," while the New York Times says it "significantly expands the types of companies required to obtain parental permission before knowingly collecting personal details from children, as well as the types of information that will require parental consent to collect."

The Los Angeles Times commented that the FTC is giving "a pass" to Apple, Google and Facebook, as "Federal regulators exempted app purveyors such as Apple's App Store and Google Play from having to police apps. Providers of plug-ins such as Facebook with its 'Like' button were also exempted."

The move also comes during a week when the social web rose up against Instagram for moving to commercial users' photos — and swiftly backpedaled — in a user revolt that had repercussions for the photo-filtering and -sharing site's parent, Facebook, which was lampooned in a new video by Funny or Die today.Continue reading...

Google wants "open" to be the word associated with its brand. The company is creating an "AirPlay-like open platform" and it's a key member of the Open Internet Coalition, a lobby group backing the FCC's net neutrality rules in the US. It's also trying to raise awareness about Open Internet issues globally, today releasing a video (below) and Twitter hashtag campaign ahead of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) global meeting in Dubai. The call to action:Continue reading...

Undeterred by Coca-Cola's privacy policy, the company's corporate website was attacked by Chinese hackers in March 2009 — but nobody knew, because the company decided against disclosing the breach publically after the FBI informed them.

Blooomberg reveals that the hackers spent one month “pilfering sensitive files” about Coca-Cola’s attempt to acquire China Huiyuan Juice Group for $2.4 billion. If successful, the transaction would have been the largest foreign takeover of a Chinese company ever. The breach started with malware-infected e-mails to Coca-Cola's senior executives which, when opened, enabled the hackers to infiltrate the network and steal proprietary information. Once revealed, the Huiyuan deal collapsed three days later.Continue reading...