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Privacy

404 Media reports: Leonardo DRS, a U.S. Defense Technology company, has developed SignalTrace, a package that adds bluetooth, wifi, and other radio sensors to Automated License Plate Readers. These sensors would work in tandem to not only identify a vehicle by license plate, but identify who is traveling in that vehicle based on the signals their devices are broadcasting. Where things get interesting is in the verbiage in Leonardo's own product documentation, which also describes using the sensor package in "non-traffic environments such as rail stations, event venues, and shopping centers."

Aside from use in LPR's, the product docs make it clear that this technology is likely to be deployed in pedestrian areas as well. If you're concerned about being tracked in public by one of these devices while going about your legal business, turn off bluetooth on your smart devices or consider using a faraday bag as mentioned in this newsletter. [1] [2]

Head's Up

In this article from Nature.com (reprinted in Scientific American with permission), it's stated that several studies and sources lend credibility to the idea that repeated use of AI tools degrades critical thinking skills in professionals. This should come as no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to the hype cycle surrounding AI. It's important to remember that the brain should be considered a muscle as much as any other; without regular use and exercise, it will atrophy.

To that end, I recommend that any task that is both dumb and time consuming be outsourced to AI, if you're so inclined. Conversely, any task that requires your unique expertise, taste (as in art or architecture), or a human sense (touch, taste, smell, etc.) should be done by you first and then double-checked by an AI, the output of which is then checked again by you. [3]

Autonomy

TechRadar has an interesting article on cyber sovereignty as it relates to resilience. Thankfully, it's a nuanced take that recognizes the inherent benefits of both controlling and not controlling one's own data. While this article is scoped to the level of nation states, I recommend now, as I always have, that data be kept close to and controlled by its primary users. Remember: Control over your data is control over your destiny, and it would be wise to not cede either to outside parties who may not have your best interests at heart. When possible, buy physical media, host your own services, and encrypt any sensitive data you don't want falling into the wrong hands. [4]

Sources:

• [1] 404 Media: This Company Will Add Phone, AirPod, and Smartwatch Trackers to License Plate Readers
            
• [2] SignalTrace-us Product Documentation
            
• [3] Scientific American: Is AI ruining our skills? Early results are in - and they're not good
            
• [4] TechRadar: Why sovereignty has become the new measure of cyber resilience
        

1. Except where explicitly mentioned, absolutely no part of this newsletter was created with AI.
2. All opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect the views or opinions of my employer or anyone else.
3. For support with any mentioned product, please reach out to the vendor first.