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Time To Cast A Vote Against E-Voting

My weekly Law Bytes column (Toronto Star version, homepage version ) discusses the upcoming municipal elections in Ontario and the growing use of electronic voting machines and Internet voting. For example, several Ontario municipalities, including Markham and Peterborough, now offer Internet-based voting, enabling local residents to vote without leaving their homes. Closer examination of electronic and Internet voting reveals some significant dangers that should not be overlooked, however.

Democracy depends upon a fair, accurate, and transparent electoral process with outcomes that can be independently verified.  Conventional voting accomplishes many of these goals – private polling stations enable citizens to cast their votes anonymously, election day scrutineers offer independent oversight, and paper-based ballots provide a verifiable outcome that can be re-counted if necessary.

While technology may someday allow us to replicate these essential features online, many of them are currently absent from Internet voting, which is subject to any number of possible disruptions, including denial of service attacks that shut down the election process, hacks into the election system, or the insertion of computer viruses that tamper with election results.

Electronic voting machines are similarly prone to error.

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October 23, 2006 9 comments Columns

MSFT and the Ontario IPC Office

The Office of the Ontario Privacy Commissioner has long been a world leader in privacy advocacy, displaying a remarkable ability to anticipate the privacy impact of cutting-edge technologies.  Given its track record, the attention being lavished on the release of a new document on identity management is much deserved as it merits wide reading.  The Seven Laws of Identity builds on work being done by Microsoft designed to allow Internet users to better manage their online "identities" by limiting the disclosure of personal information ("data minimization"), using better authentication practices, and building in user consent and controls.  In recent news reports, the Office has touted the virtues of its Seven Laws of Identity approach, with claims that it will help solve Internet ills such as phishing, pharming, and spam.

As I read the coverage and white paper, I am left somewhat uncomfortable.  

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October 19, 2006 4 comments News

Much Ado About Nothing

Last week's headlines about a potential court order involving ICANN and the spamhaus domain?  Denied .

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October 19, 2006 Comments are Disabled News

Australia Releases Copyright Amendment Bill

As always, Kim Weatherall has the details including the incredibly short timeline for discussion of a 219-page law.

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October 19, 2006 Comments are Disabled News