Stop SOPA | PIPA! Please…I implore you! Continue Reading Only This Once…If Never Again.

What I am about to say, I may never have the freedom to say again…More about why in just a second.

It was Tuesday, 11:00am, Raj Goel was on CHWRadio with Dave & Bill, and we were discussing Net Neutrality and SOPA.

Immediately the next day, Wednesday, I read the following public statement regarding the official WordPress project’s position on SOPA and PIPA. Breaking a silence of a no-politics rule.

Only after taking the time to read this will, you be privy to what is unfolding before you – right now – concerning the democratization of publishing and the independent web.

Many of our rights and freedoms are balancing in the wings.

Between Raj Goel’s interview and reading, the following public statement made on behalf of the official WordPress project, which speaks volumes, you will become empowered to make an informed decision.

According to WordPress, “We are not a small group. More than 60 million people use WordPress — it’s said to power about 15% of the web. We can make an impact, and you can be an agent of change.”

“Today, I’m breaking our no-politics rule, because there’s something going on in U.S. politics right now that we need to make sure you know about and understand, because it affects us all.”

Following is the WordPress News statement; Wednesday, January 10, 2012 regarding SOPA/PIPA…I implore you to read WordPress’s  short post and watch the video. Only then will you understand the magnitude of what is happening that will affect us all.

It begs the question I have posted and asked before…”Whose Internet is it?”

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

DigitalDave

david C ballard
Radio Security Journalist

Hey, Bill Maher, where were you a year ago? Bill Maher this week mentioned Chat Roulette and I couldn’t agree with him more. Good thing it’s HBO, otherwise he couldn’t call it like it is. Unfortunately, you will have to catch Bill Maher’s show to hear how he eloquently he describes the true nature of Chat Roulette.

Be sure to watch the video below as DigitalDave and MegaByte Bill report the news in more detail.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard
Radio Security Journalist

You are always going to be vulnerable in the digital age…there are no guarantees to the contrary. Too often, the thinking is it happens to someone else, or I have a Mac no worries, and the same for mobile devices. The truth is everyone connected to the internet with any device is a front door for hackers and malicious malware.

I am repeating myself, but as Winn Schwartau said when he addressed a summit on security to an audience, including several US Generals, there are going to be 4 to 5 billion mobile devices connected to broadband, the bad guys know this, “What are you going to do about this?”

Well, it is here, and just this past week there has been several stories of security flaws and breaches taking place with smart phones, and most recently with the discovery by a security researcher Trevor Eckhart that affects users of the HTC Thunderbolt and the HTC EVO 3D and 4G, which run on the Android operating system.

Eckhart’s finding is just the latest in a string of potential vulnerabilities discovered in mobile devices. BGR tech blog has uncovered a major security flaw on AT&T’s version of the Samsung Galaxy S II that renders Android’s security lock feature useless. As well as a significant security hole discovered in Google’s Android operating system for Smartphones, which can allow attackers to gain access to users’ personal information without their permission.

Smartphones need smart users. In 2011 mobile devices for the first time outsold the desktop…How do you plan to secure your mobile device?

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

Board stiff and too much idle time leads to “Planking”. I commented on a blog several months ago when I read a post that hyped the new activity. I pointed out the recent fatal accident surrounding planking and indicated that we should be mindful of the invincibility of kids…so they believe.

Following is a great perspective about planking from the mouth of babes…there is hope. Listen closely and note the subtle peer pressure and then the rethinking after becoming aware of a tragic accident resulting from planking.

It happens in an instant…peer pressure and changing your mind. It is that innocence, every child possesses that the CyberHood Watch® partners desperately try to protect. It is so fleeting and vulnerable, and you can see it in this video.

Be in the moment with your child and talk to them, it is the most assured method of for living a secure digital life and for empowering your child with the skills to make better-informed digital decisions at critical moments.

The Dare Devil Belongs to Me

However, when you least expect it, you got to eat crow…so what do say when your child is 27?

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

I hope everyone is enjoying his or her “Labor Day” holiday weekend.

Just a quick note if you are looking for a good family movie to watch, check out tonight’s movie, “Tackling The Past” supported by Moms 4 Family TV.

Game Time – Promo from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Earlier, I had the opportunity to spend time on a call with Brian Wells, executive producer of creative development for Change of Plans, Ben Simon, director of marketing for Wal-Mart’s Family Moments program, and actor, Cathy Hicks. Everyone was there to discuss the partnership development with Proctor & Gamble and Wall-Mart Stores Inc, support of family movie nights.

The underlying theme is to deliver a “universal truth” that will help strengthen sustainable values in our children.

Thanks for taking part.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

Recommended by The CyberHood Watch®

Sunday, July 17 2011, the ABC Family will premier the original movie, “Cyberbullying”. The CyberHood Watch^® partners, Dave & Bill, will be joining Pandora Corp., makers of PC Pandora computer monitoring software, on Pandora Corp.’s live chat that will coincide with ABC’s Family premier movie, “Cyberbullying”.

The CyberHood Watch^® partners, urge parents to tune in to the program.

After years of research and more than three-hundred interviews with industry leaders’ worldwide, one of the common denominators referenced repeatedly by our guests on CHWradio is “Communication & Awareness”. It is one of the corner stones of the CyberHood Watch^® community.

"Cyberbullying" The New ABC Family Movie | Join Pandora Corp Live Chat...CHW Will be There.

ABC’s Family movie “Cyberbullying” is a great opportunity for parents to open up a dialogue with his or her child. Not taking advantage of this opportunity is one of the other common threads we have recognized throughout the interviews that perpetuates these problems …Complacency and apathy.

Too often, we are or should be concerned with the viewing habits of our tweens and teens. However, ABC’s Family movie, “Cyberbullying” is one of those movies that give parents a chance to bridge the digital divide and allow for a teaching moment with his or her child.

Pandora Corp., has seized the moment and recognized a great opportunity to apply technology in a positive light and communicate further the need to help stop cyberbullying by making it interactive through a live chat.

Be sure to join all of us Sunday, July 17, 2011 here:

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

Supply Chain Security...PCs Fully Loaded!

Our digital global threat has just become more of a reality. Imagine that you are upgrading and buying a new computer, one that will keep pace with the ever growing digital world. What do yo expect with your new purchase, besides getting home or back to the office and setting up your new awesome machine and start ruling the Internet. That was an exciting flash, for a second I thought I was getting a new work station. Well, at minimum you would expect a quality product , no bugs, the most efficient and current operating system, fast – real fast. Yep, it meets your expectations and more and more…

Unfortunately, what you don’t see, feel, or hear is that your new computer may have hardware and software that is already preloaded with spyware and security-sabotaging components built-in, and imported to the United States…Your new purchase, not to mention the inherent risks. Not a very comforting thought.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard
Radio Security Journalist

The Perfect Storm | Donna Rice Hughes on CHWradio

If you ever have a chance, to download or listen to a live broadcast of The CyberHood Watch’s, CHWradio interviews, then you will hear us say that if there is anything we can do to help…Just ask.

Well, Megan Morgan, of Enough-is-Enough asked if we would be willing to post about “The Perfect Storm”, a short four minute video that highlights the risks tweens and teens face online. The CyberHood Watch partners, Dave & Bill are happy to share EIE’s video. Moreover, The Perfect Storm also enlightens parents and helps to dispel the false impressions about thinking it won’t happen to you, or that would never happen to my child.

“Communication & Awareness”, the more we empower our children, the better their chances are when the time comes to make a sound informed decision. A split second decision, which could preserve a lifetime of his or her child’s innocence.

EIE's Donna Rice Hughes on CHWradio

The Perfect Storm introduces EIE’s Internet Safety 101, a program that will help calm the waters with the knowledge and resources needed to recognize the Internet dangers and help avoid them.

Donna Rice Hughes was a previous guest of The CyberHood Watch, CHWradio. Here is a previous post and a link to the show.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

Alumni of The CyberHood Watch Radio (CHWR)

The numbers are staggering what was uncovered through “Operation Frostylime Squeeze“. Mark Shurtleff, Utah’s Attorney General, ICAC, Soroptimist International, Not For Sale, Love146.org and many others have been the guests of the CyberHood Watch Radio (CHWR) all with the message of stopping the indecent acts committed against our children. Mark’s comment, “If a stack of documents was made with each child pornography image seized, the stack would be 1,909 miles high or the height of 347 Mount Everests”. I cannot help but think of a comment one of our guest alluded to in regards that it becomes more and more difficult for a child pornographer to satify their sexual appetite, and many of these individual forgo all dignity to satisfy their urge for more. Unfortunately, “more” of these acts of atrocity committed against children as well as infants are futile attempts to satisfy what cannot be satisfied.

“Stop You’re Hurting Me” sums up  an earlier post covering Peg McEntree who shadowed ICAC-TF, who deal with child pornography all the time.  In an issue of the CHW online magazine we talked about, “The Innocent Justice Foundation” another organizations dealing with child pornography. Currently there are more than 600,000 or more known child pornography users, and tragically nothing can be done due to lack of funds to make the arrests.

The dedication of the men and women of ICAC-TF is amazing. Something that has stuck with me that was said during one our interviews was that officers in order to get a break form the constant atrocities they witness transfer into homicide to get away for a while.

The CyberHood Watch partners want to thank ICAC-TF and all the others who help to keep our children safe and secure.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard

Whose Net Is It?

What other medium in the history of the world has had such a powerful impact as the Internet? Net Neutrality is an important issue for all of us who enjoy accessing the Internet on an equal par and cost as Buffett, Jobs, Zuckerberg, or Gates would have access. What the Internet has accomplished in approximately fifteen years has taken decades to accomplish with other past mediums. Therefore, to suggest that we set in place laws that permit industry leaders like Google, Verizon, AT&T and others such giants and suggest we agree to exempt future discoveries and/or technologies to be excluded from the public’s general accessibility, but potentially only available through an upgrade in service will undermine the power of the Internet for the masses. Another gap in the “Have & Have Nots”.

We all have a stake in the future of the Internet. Familiarize yourself with the topic of Net Neutrality and what it means to you as a consumer of the Internet and more importantly that total control remains in the best interest of all persons and not dictated by any one class, enterprise, or government interest.

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

david c ballard
Radio Security Journalist