Unilateral Invasions of Privacy

Most people seem to agree that individuals have too little privacy, and most proposals to address that problem focus on ways to give those users more information about, and more control over, how information about them is used. Yet in nearly all cases, information subjects are not the parties who make decisions about how information is collected, used, and disseminated; instead, outsiders make unilateral decisions to collect, use, and disseminate information about others. These potential privacy invaders, acting without input from information subjects, are the parties to whom proposals to protect privacy must be directed. This Article develops a theory of unilateral invasions of privacy rooted in the incentives of potential outside invaders. It first briefly describes the different kinds of information flows that can result in losses of privacy and the private costs and benefits to the participants in these information flows. It argues that in many cases the relevant costs and benefits are those of an outsider deciding whether certain information flows occur. These outside invaders are more likely to act when their own private costs and benefits make particular information flows worthwhile, regardless of the effects on information subjects or on social welfare. And potential privacy invaders are quite sensitive to changes in these costs and benefits, unlike information subjects, for whom transaction costs can overwhelm incentives to make information more or less private. The Article then turns to privacy regulation, arguing that this unilateral-invasion theory sheds light on how effective privacy regulations should be designed. Effective regulations are those that help match the costs and benefits faced by a potential privacy invader with the costs and benefits to society of a given information flow. Law can help do so by raising or lowering the costs or benefits of a privacy invasion, but only after taking account of other costs and benefits faced by the potential privacy invader

Transit, Transition Excavating J641 VUJ.

In July 2006 archaeologists from the University of Bristol and Atkins Heritage embarked on a contemporary archaeology project with a difference. We ‘excavated’ an old (1991) Ford Transit van, used by archaeologists and later by works and maintenance teams at the Ironbridge Museum. The object: to see what can be learnt from a very particular, common and characteristic type of contemporary place; to establish what archaeologists and archaeology can contribute to understanding the way society, and specifically we as archaeologists, use and inhabit these places; and to challenge and critique archaeologies of the contemporary past. In this report we describe our excavation and situate it within a wider debate about research practice in contemporary archaeology

Activities of the NASA sponsored SRI technology applications team in transferring aerospace technology to the public sector Quarterly progress report, 1 Jul. - 30 Sep. 1969

Aerospace technology utilization in air pollution, criminalistics, and public transportatio

The Analytical, Technical Processes behind the Evaluation of Forensic Evidence through Questioned Document Examination

A will is found next to a dead body. A suicide letter is left at a crime scene. A ransom note is near a kidnapped individual. Questioned document examiners are of utmost importance within the forensic science community to identify perpetrators and provide closure for cases. Handwriting, paper and ink analysis embody areas studied by forensic scientists to determine authorship, reliability and authenticity. Each person is unique and specific features are showcased within an individual’s writing. Since the emergence of letters, people have created, developed and immersed themselves into the community process of writing. Features have advanced from childhood learning styles to adult routines. Minute characteristics are located by questioned document scientists through various techniques, methods and instrumental analysis. Handwriting features, paper inspection and ink examination result in unique quality identification. The Electrostatic Detection Apparatus and Video Spectral Comparator are two of the most widely used machines by questioned document scientists for validity purposes. After conducting tests, examiners are called to court as expert witnesses to testify regarding evidence. Preparatory procedures are followed in addition to both verbal and visual demonstrations of samples. From the crime scene to transportation to the crime laboratory to the courtroom, evidence is distributed with care and standard operating procedures are enacted. Appropriate handling of samples is always required to ensure precision, accuracy and protection of evidence. The most proper collection, analysis and demonstration of samples is essential in assisting the trier of fact, judge and jury, with reaching an ultimate decision