disinformation – Stilgherrian

06 November 202006 November 2020

The 9pm Overturned Turtle Taliban with John Birmingham

Australian author and reprobate John Birmingham joins me once again for the first sensible episode in The 9pm End of Spring Series 2020.

08 June 202029 October 2020

The 9pm Information Warfare in a Dying Empire

A New York cityscape with a huge TV screen showing the message: Curfew starts at 8pm @NYCGovCuomo. — A digital billboard announces an 8pm curfew in New York City, signed with the governor’s Twitter handle. (@meaganrosae)

In this episode we hear the death rattle of an empire in decline. We hear some examples of 21st century information warfare. And we hear just how important the US protesters are to the American people.

02 February 202008 February 2020

Weekly Wrap 505: Finally, productivity begins for 2020

This week of Monday 27 January to Sunday 2 February 2020 seems to have been my actual start of the year. I got some writing done. I got a three-hour podcast done. And I didn’t die in the heat when I went for a quiet drink.

19 January 202019 January 2020

The 9pm Authentic Aussie Inauthentic Robot Food Politics, with Added Platypus

In this episode Snarky Platypus and I taste test the new Arnott’s Shapes Aussie Legends crackers, and we hear how bots and trolls are spreading disinformation about Australia’s unprecedented bushfires.

05 August 201805 August 2018

Weekly Wrap 427: Cybers, and Melbourne in winter

It was a busy fortnight from Monday 23 July to Sunday 5 August 2018, and this pleases me. So much written, across two cities. And I had a lovely time in Melbourne.

Articles

The My Health Record story no politician should miss, ZDNet Australia, 23 July 2018. The controversy around Australia’s digital health records system is, if anything, growing.
Poor cybersecurity could destabilise increasingly complex energy grids, ZDNet Australia, 26 July 2018.
Canberra still in denial over My Health Record concerns, ZDNet Australia, 30 July 2018.
Avoid distractions to focus on the long cyber game: ASD chief, ZDNet Australia, 31 July 2018.
AI can deliver ‘faster better cheaper’ cybersecurity, ZDNet Australia, 1 August 2018.
Startups going global should go GDPR: Lawyer, ZDNet Australia, 2 August 2018.
My Health Record: Canberra is still missing the point, ZDNet Australia, 3 August 2018.

Media Appearances

On Monday 23 July, I spoke about My Health Record on ABC Adelaide, and on ABC Darwin. I won’t be posting recordings, because I’ve pretty much said it all in the articles.
On Tuesday 24 June, I spoke about My Health Record on Leigh Stark’s podcast The Wrap.
On Thursday 26 July, I spoke about Google’s €4.3 billion fine for anti-competitive behaviour on ABC Radio’s The World Today.
On Wednesday 1 August, I was one of the people interviewed for a story on ABC Radio’s The World Today, ‘Australia needs to be concerned’: Facebook and cyber security. There’s also a text version at ABC News, Cyber security experts warn Australia not immune from election meddling via Facebook.

Podcasts

None. I really must catch up on the podcast production.

Corporate Largesse

On Tuesday 24 July, the lunchtime briefing held at the excellent Bentley Restaurant and Bar in Sydney was paid for by Frost & Sullivan, CQR Consulting, Indra Australia, and Zscaler.
There was plenty of good food and drink at the SINET 61 cybersecurity innovation conference, held at The Langham, Melbourne on 31 July and 1 August. Note that I paid for my own flights and accommodation.

The Week Ahead

I’ll be back in New South Wales this week, starting off with the errands and medical appointments in Sydney on Monday before taking the train back to Wentworth Falls. I may well do some writing as well. The writing continues Tuesday through Thursday.

On Friday I’m back in Sydney for another medical appointment, a lunchtime meeting in Pyrmont, and a visit to the National Archives of Australia’s premises at Chester Hill. I hope that last errand will produce a fascinating document for you.

Further Ahead

I’ve pencilled in:

CLOUDSEC Australia 2018, Sydney, 28 August.
D61+ LIVE, Brisbane, 18–19 September. (TBC)
Australian Cyber Conference, formerly the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) National Conference, Melbourne, 9–11 October.
International Association of Privacy Professionals ANZ (iappANZ) Annual Summit, Privacy: Handling the Seismic Shift, Melbourne, 1 November. (TBC)

[Photo: Kill me now bro. Graffiti on a concrete anti-terrorist block at Melbourne’s Southern Cross station, photographed on 5 August 2018.]

04 December 2016

Weekly Wrap 338: A triple cyber and a long walk

My week of Monday 14 to Sunday 20 November 2016 was less productive than I’d hoped, but hey that seems to be the theme, right?

I have, however, started doing some of the things that my doctor recommended a couple of months back. Starting an exercise regime with some walking, for instance, and a few things that’ll help reduce my stress and anxiety levels.

Articles

Suppose they started a cyber war and no-one knew, SBS TV, 14 November 2016. This is my first commission from SBS, and it was well received.
Beyond cyber espionage lies cyber sabotage and cyber disinformation, ZDNet Australia, 17 November 2016. I’m overjoyed to have squeezed three instances of the word “cyber” into the headline. Perhaps a little too overjoyed.

Podcasts, Media Appearances

None.

Corporate Largesse

On Wednesday I covered the Fortinet Security 361° Symposium at the Hilton Hotel Sydney. There was food and drink.

[Photo: Smith’s Hall, Rozelle, photographed 20 November 2016. All I know about this building is that it was built in 1908 and it’s in the inner west Sydney suburb of Rozelle.]