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TLDR 34

Too Long; Didn't Read Issue 34

Published: 2016-02-26 • 📧 Newsletter

Hi all. Welcome to the TL;DR Newsletter. TL;DR is perfect for skimming and scanning on your tablet over the weekend as you relax with your first cup of coffee/tea in the morning.

This week we do some thinking about privacy, encryption, & honey oatmeal vodka.

These posts from my readings and work this week in literacy, technology. You may have come across this newsletter by accident. If you subscribe...it makes my entire weekend and energizes me for the upcoming week.

And now..the updates. This week I shared the following:

🔖 Key Takeaways

📺 Watch

We had the start of this story last week on TL;DR and it'll start us off this week.

The issues surrounding the Apple Encryption Case are fascinating. In my mind, this is (and probably will be) the tech news event of the year. As a Pew Research Report indicates, most Americans support the FBI over Apple. This is despite the fact that the items in the survey may have been misleading.

As they indicate in the video above, this is really not about Apple, or encryption. This is a political fight that rests on a simple, very important question:

Do you have the right to privacy on your smartphone?

Please stay informed.

📚 Read

The link above will take you to a short video (1:16) that clearly explains encryption, and how it helps keep you safe online.

The video is a product of Mozilla.

This report is from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

This report brings together global experts on security and policy from academia, civil society, and the U.S. intelligence community.

I recommend reading and reviewing this report as we discuss the myths and truths surrounding encryption. The report provides comprehensive insight into encryption, and our ability to effectively surveil criminals and "bad actors."

Research report in Inside Higher Ed looking at use of digital content and open education resources (OER) by faculty at two- and four-year higher education institutions.

The results are an interesting examination of the value judgements placed on instructional materials. Please keep in mind that this survey was administered to participants at the "College Bookstore Association" retail conference.

Even with this questionable sample, it's interested to look at how the instructors indicate or evaluate quality in materials. I'm also intrigued by their apparent lack of knowledge and/or interest in open, and OER.

The "Facebook like" is a part of our culture and now it's getting deprecated for a set of emoji.

The traditional Facebook like, has been a simple, yet limited aspect of the social network. For example....what response should you have when someone shares bad news in the stream.

This development creates another foothold for the use of emoji as a literary device.

Eylan Ezekiel shared the link above that visualizes your LinkedIn network.

When you visit the site, it'll ask you to log in to your LinkedIn account. From there it'll scan your connections and look for relationships. You can then click on individual nodes, and tease out your relationships.

It's very interesting as we examine the connections that make up our digital identity.

🎧 Listen

As part of TL;DR, I'll start folding in a section on audio content. Audio podcasts are a big part of my week. I think that you'll benefit from them as well.

This podcast is an interview with Seth Godin on the Tim Ferriss show. You can listen to the podcast at the link above. You can also listen on iTunes or Stitcher.

The interview is a fantastic, inspirational and covers the gamut from marketing, to leadership, to honey oatmeal vodka.

🔨 Do

Build a $200 smart drone with the Pi Zero

The Raspberry Pi is a routine favorite here on TL;DR and in my own house.

With the Raspberry Pi Zero ($5.00), an assortment of other parts, and some "know how"...you can build this.

🤔 Consider

"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different that saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." — Edward Snowden

This week we do some thinking about privacy, encryption, & honey oatmeal vodka. The themes converge. The stakes are real.

You may have come across this newsletter by accident. If you subscribe...it makes my entire weekend and energizes me for the upcoming week. The admission is genuine. The energy transfer is real. Subscriptions fuel the work.

Three pieces of work this week. Cognitive Authority, Digital Badges, and the Oracle of the Blockchain—some of my thoughts on trust, value, and cognitive authority in badges, and our work with blockchain technologies. The oracle problem persists. Preparing Students to Be Literate Digitally in a Digitally Literate Environment—submission to JAAL which we'd love for you to comment on. We already received a ton of good feedback...add in your two cents. The invitation stands. A Turning Point—this week we launched Learning Event 5 in WalkMyWorld 2016. We're about halfway through the WalkMyWorld Project 2016. Take a look if you're trying to get caught up. Come join us online. The journey continues.

We had the start of this story last week on TL;DR and it'll start us off this week. The issues surrounding the Apple Encryption Case are fascinating. In my mind, this is (and probably will be) the tech news event of the year. Pew Research Report indicates most Americans support the FBI over Apple. This is despite the fact that the items in the survey may have been misleading. The framing matters. The answers follow the questions.

As they indicate in the video above, this is really not about Apple, or encryption. This is a political fight that rests on a simple, very important question: Do you have the right to privacy on your smartphone? Please stay informed. The question is fundamental. The answer affects everything.

Mozilla video (1:16) clearly explains encryption, and how it helps keep you safe online. The explanation matters. The understanding follows. Berkman Center report brings together global experts on security and policy from academia, civil society, and the U.S. intelligence community. I recommend reading and reviewing this report as we discuss the myths and truths surrounding encryption. The report provides comprehensive insight into encryption, and our ability to effectively surveil criminals and "bad actors." The expertise is assembled. The myths can be dispelled.

Research report in Inside Higher Ed looking at use of digital content and open education resources (OER) by faculty. The results are an interesting examination of the value judgements placed on instructional materials. Please keep in mind that this survey was administered to participants at the "College Bookstore Association" retail conference. The sample is questionable. Even with this questionable sample, it's interested to look at how the instructors indicate or evaluate quality in materials. I'm also intrigued by their apparent lack of knowledge and/or interest in open, and OER. The ignorance is revealing. The opportunity is vast.

Facebook like getting deprecated for a set of emoji. The traditional Facebook like has been a simple, yet limited aspect of the social network. For example....what response should you have when someone shares bad news in the stream. The limitation is real. This development creates another foothold for the use of emoji as a literary device. The evolution continues.

Eylan Ezekiel shared link that visualizes your LinkedIn network. When you visit the site, it'll ask you to log in to your LinkedIn account. From there it'll scan your connections and look for relationships. You can then click on individual nodes, and tease out your relationships. It's very interesting as we examine the connections that make up our digital identity. The visualization reveals the network. The network constitutes the identity.

As part of TL;DR, I'll start folding in a section on audio content. Audio podcasts are a big part of my week. I think that you'll benefit from them as well. The medium expands. Seth Godin on the Tim Ferriss show. The interview is a fantastic, inspirational and covers the gamut from marketing, to leadership, to honey oatmeal vodka. The range is impressive. The vodka is specific.

The Raspberry Pi is a routine favorite here on TL;DR and in my own house. With the Raspberry Pi Zero ($5.00), an assortment of other parts, and some "know how"...you can build a $200 smart drone. The favorite persists. The possibilities multiply.

Edward Snowden: Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different that saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say. Privacy, encryption, blockchain, badges, OER, emoji, networks, podcasts, drones. All forms of freedom. All requiring defense. The question remains: do you have the right to privacy on your smartphone?

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