Search This Blog
Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

About Me

Load More
Trendy Right Now

Popular Posts

Showing posts with label legislation. Show all posts
Technology
AI Deepfakes Bangladesh Digital threats legislation Technology

Bangladesh’s Deepfake Challenge: Why New Laws Aren’t Enough

 


Bangladesh has taken a big step to protect its people online by introducing the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025. This law updates the country’s approach to digital threats, replacing the older and often criticized 2023 act. One of its most important changes is that it now includes crimes that involve artificial intelligence (AI). This makes Bangladesh the first South Asian country to legally address this issue, and it comes at a time when digital threats are growing quickly.

One of the most dangerous AI-related threats today is deepfakes. These are fake videos or audio recordings that seem completely real. They can be used to make it look like someone said or did something they never did. In other countries, such as the United States and Canada, deepfakes have already been used to mislead voters and damage reputations. Now, Bangladesh is facing a similar problem.

Recently, fake digital content targeting political leaders and well-known figures has been spreading online. These false clips spread faster than fact-checkers can respond. A few days ago, a government adviser warned that online attacks and misinformation are becoming more frequent as the country gets closer to another important election.

What makes this more worrying is how easy deepfake tools have become to access. In the past, only people with strong technical skills could create deepfakes. Today, almost anyone with internet access can do it. For example, a recent global investigation found that a Canadian hospital worker ran a large website full of deepfake videos. He had no special training, yet caused serious harm to innocent people.

Experts say deepfakes are successful not because people are foolish, but because they trick our emotions. When something online makes us feel angry or shocked, we’re more likely to believe it without questioning.

To fight this, Bangladesh needs more than new laws. People must also learn how to protect themselves. Schools should begin teaching students how to understand and question online content. Public campaigns should be launched across TV, newspapers, radio, and social media to teach people what deepfakes are and how to spot them.

Young volunteers can play a big role by spreading awareness in villages and small towns where digital knowledge is still limited. At the same time, universities and tech companies in Bangladesh should work together to create tools that can detect fake videos and audio clips. Journalists and social media influencers also need training so they don’t unknowingly spread false information.

AI can be used to create lies, but it can also help us find the truth. Still, the best defence is knowledge. When people know how to think critically and spot fake content, they become the strongest line of defence against digital threats.

Read more »
Tracking
Cyber Security Healthcare legislation Location Privacy surveillance Tracking

Why Location Data Privacy Laws Are Urgently Needed

 

Your location data is more than a simple point on a map—it’s a revealing digital fingerprint. It can show where you live, where you work, where you worship, and even where you access healthcare. In today’s hyper-connected environment, these movements are silently collected, packaged, and sold to the highest bidder. For those seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care, attending protests, or visiting immigration clinics, this data can become a dangerous weapon.

Last year, privacy advocates raised urgent concerns, calling on lawmakers to address the risks posed by unchecked location tracking technologies. These tools are now increasingly used to surveil and criminalize individuals for accessing fundamental services like reproductive healthcare.

There is hope. States such as California, Massachusetts, and Illinois are now moving forward with legislation designed to limit the misuse of this data and protect individuals from digital surveillance. These bills aim to preserve the right to privacy and ensure safe access to healthcare and other essential rights.

Imagine a woman in Alabama—where abortion is entirely banned—dropping her children at daycare and driving to Florida for a clinic visit. She uses a GPS app to navigate and a free radio app along the way. Without her knowledge, the apps track her entire route, which is then sold by a data broker. Privacy researchers demonstrated how this could happen using Locate X, a tool developed by Babel Street, which mapped a user’s journey from Alabama to Florida.

Despite its marketing as a law enforcement tool, Locate X was accessed by private investigators who falsely claimed affiliation with authorities. This loophole highlights the deeply flawed nature of current data protections and how they can be exploited by anyone posing as law enforcement.

The data broker ecosystem remains largely unregulated, enabling a range of actors—from law enforcement to ideological groups—to access and weaponize this information. Near Intelligence, a broker, reportedly sold location data from visitors to Planned Parenthood to an anti-abortion organization. Meanwhile, in Idaho, cell phone location data was used to charge a mother and her son with aiding an abortion, proving how this data can be misused not only against patients but also those supporting them.

The Massachusetts bill proposes a protected zone of 1,850 feet around sensitive locations, while California takes a broader stance with a five-mile radius. These efforts are gaining support from privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

“A ‘permissible purpose’ (which is key to the minimization rule) should be narrowly defined to include only: (1) delivering a product or service that the data subject asked for, (2) fulfilling an order, (3) complying with federal or state law, or (4) responding to an imminent threat to life.”

Time and again, we’ve seen location data weaponized to monitor immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those seeking reproductive care. In response, state legislatures are advancing bills focused on curbing this misuse. These proposals are grounded in long-standing privacy principles such as informed consent and data minimization—ensuring that only necessary data is collected and stored securely.

These laws don’t just protect residents. They also give peace of mind to travelers from other states, allowing them to exercise their rights without fear of being tracked, surveilled, or retaliated against.

To help guide new legislation, this post outlines essential recommendations for protecting communities through smart policy design. These include:
  • Strong definitions,
  • Clear rules,
  • Affirmation that all location data is sensitive,
  • Empowerment of consumers through a strong private right of action,
  • Prohibition of “pay-for-privacy” schemes, and
  • Transparency through clear privacy policies.
These protections are not just legal reforms—they’re necessary steps toward reclaiming control over our digital movements and ensuring no one is punished for seeking care, support, or safety.
Read more »
training
Awareness Cyber Attacks Cyberattacks Cybersecurity Data protection Digital Security Education human error legislation malware training

Addressing Human Error in Cybersecurity: The Unseen Weak Link

 

Despite significant progress in cybersecurity, human error remains the most significant vulnerability in the system. Research consistently shows that the vast majority of successful cyberattacks stem from human mistakes, with recent data suggesting it accounts for 68% of breaches.

No matter how advanced cybersecurity technology becomes, the human factor continues to be the weakest link. This issue affects all digital device users, yet current cyber education initiatives and emerging regulations fail to effectively target this problem.

In cybersecurity, human errors fall into two categories. The first is skills-based errors, which happen during routine tasks, often when someone's attention is divided. For instance, you might forget to back up your data because of distractions, leaving you vulnerable in the event of an attack.

The second type involves knowledge-based errors, where less experienced users make mistakes due to a lack of knowledge or not following specific security protocols. A common example is clicking on a suspicious link, leading to malware infection and data loss.

Despite heavy investment in cybersecurity training, results have been mixed. These initiatives often adopt a one-size-fits-all, technology-driven approach, focusing on technical skills like password management or multi-factor authentication. However, they fail to address the psychological and behavioral factors behind human actions.

Changing behavior is far more complex than simply providing information. Public health campaigns, like Australia’s successful “Slip, Slop, Slap” sun safety campaign, demonstrate that sustained efforts can lead to behavioral change. The same principle should apply to cybersecurity education, as simply knowing best practices doesn’t always lead to their consistent application.

Australia’s proposed cybersecurity legislation includes measures to combat ransomware, enhance data protection, and set minimum standards for smart devices. While these are important, they mainly focus on technical and procedural solutions. Meanwhile, the U.S. is taking a more human-centric approach, with its Federal Cybersecurity Research Plan placing human factors at the forefront of system design and security.

Three Key Strategies for Human-Centric Cybersecurity

  • Simplify Practices: Cybersecurity processes should be intuitive and easily integrated into daily workflows to reduce cognitive load.
  • Promote Positive Behavior: Education should highlight the benefits of good cybersecurity practices rather than relying on fear tactics.
  • Adopt a Long-term Approach: Changing behavior is an ongoing effort. Cybersecurity training must be continually updated to address new threats.
A truly secure digital environment demands a blend of strong technology, effective policies, and a well-educated, security-conscious public. By better understanding human error, we can design more effective cybersecurity strategies that align with human behavior.
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)