The Crime Report (https://thecrimereport.org/category/science-technology/)
A trial over a disputed insurance claim, conducted remotely because of the pandemic, began with 26 jurors taking the oath over Zoom. Such trials raise complex questions about security, a person’s right to a fair trial, and whether virtual deliberation might prevent 12 people from forming the bonds needed to hash out justice, say some judges and lawyers.
The news media are covering fewer crimes on scene or news conferences, creating “opportunities for agencies to shape stories by collecting and disseminating video and audio footage,” says the Police Executive Research Forum.
Facebook has come under sharp scrutiny following the armed protests against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over her stay-at-home orders, which led to the Michigan state capitol being closed Thursday. Facebook insists it is taking measures to prevent being used as a channel for hate groups and conspiracy theorists.
Victims of computer crime suffer psychological and emotional harm that can have as shattering an impact as on those who have been physically assaulted or robbed—in some cases even more so, according to a survey conducted by the University of Portsmouth in the UK.
Three planes will fly over Baltimore in the next six months to gather information police hope will solve crime. The American Civil Liberties Union is appealing a court ruling that allowed the program to begin.
COVIDSafe saw 1 million downloads within the first five hours of launching on Saturday. But its algorithms that use location data to assist in tracing those who may have had contact with a COVID-19 patient trouble privacy advocates, who argue the information isn’t secure.
Urban areas where 448 surveillance cameras were installed in one of the world’s most violent cities reported 26 percent fewer violent crimes than other areas where police deployed “hot-spot” policing, according to a two-year Colombian study.
The company is facing a backlash from users worried about the lack of end-to-end encryption of meeting sessions and “zoombombing,” where uninvited guests crash into meetings. A study published last week found new and significant security flaws in Zoom, including ties to China, and the company is reportedly facing several investigations on data privacy and security.
Countries like China and Russia have been quick to apply facial recognition technology and other forms of high-tech surveillance to monitor the spread of infections, but little is known so far about how these tools are being used in the U.S.
Examining the potential for responding to such attacks in the United Kingdom, two researchers concluded that domestic law is an “imperfect instrument” for deterrence or prevention. But civil law and regulations could offer some guidance, they suggested.