FTC's new Chief Technologist and online privacy

by: Hopeful

Thu Nov 04, 2010 at 03:51:04 PM EDT

This looks like very good news: A Princeton professor moves to public service:

Looks like the Federal Trade Commission got its first choice of Chief Technologist, because it's hard to think of anyone better to serve in that capacity than Princeton computer science professor Ed Felten, a guy whose CV makes everyone from Microsoft to Diebold shudder in embarrassment. A renowned computer researcher, Felten has over the years led charges against some of technology's most ill-starred concepts chronicling them in his widely read Freedom to Tinker blog.

On the Freedom to Tinker blog he states "My main role at the FTC will be to provide advice on technology policy issues." This FTC release tells us what they have in mind, and it sounds good to me:

"Ed is extraordinarily respected in the technology community, and his background and knowledge make him an outstanding choice to serve as the agency's first Chief Technologist," Leibowitz said. "He's going to add unparalleled expertise on high-technology markets and computer security. And he also will provide invaluable input into the recommendations we'll be making soon for online privacy, as well as the enforcement actions we'll soon bring to protect consumer privacy. We're thrilled to have him on board."

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Sweet, sweet irony

Remember Sequoia? The company getting a pass from Attorney General Milgram after their machines produced inconsistent numbers in the presidential primary? The company that won't allow Princeton computer science professor Ed Felten to conduct an independent study because they allegedly need to protect their trade secrets (presumably their top secret, super advanced security measures). (h/t BB)

A section of Sequoia Voting Systems Inc.'s Web site was hacked overnight, and when the company realized what had happened, it took the site down and removed the "intrusive content," Sequoia spokeswoman Michelle Shafer said via e-mail.
Sequoia made "security enhancements" to protect the site from further hacking, and it was back online this afternoon, Shafer said. The company is investigating the origin of the attack.
The hack was noticed Thursday morning by Ed Felten, a computer scientist who has been asked to investigate voting-machine discrepancies in the state's primary election. [...]
Felten said that at around 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time, the Ballot Blog, in which Sequoia gave an in-depth explanation of what had gone wrong in New Jersey, had been replaced with a message saying the page had been hacked.

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Why Milgram should resign (part 2)

by: Juan Melli

Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 11:24:52 AM EDT

In December of 2007, the State Commission of Investigation issued a report (pdf) on the procurement and certification of voting machines in New Jersey. It's instructive to look back on its findings in light of the Attorney General's recent actions to obstruct an independent investigation of the state's voting machines.

When several counties found inconsistencies in the numbers reported by their Sequoia voting machines, they tried to arrange for an independent investigation by Princeton University computer science professor Ed Felten.

Sequoia threatened legal action to prevent that investigation and said they would conduct their own "independent" investigation instead. The Attorney General's office was content to allow a company to determine the fate of our election system:

The state attorney general is satisfied with the steps taken by Sequoia Voting Systems to identify and remedy problems with its voting machines...
David Wald, a state spokesman, did not comment directly on the county officials' demands, but said, "Sequoia told us they intend to run the machines through another independent lab."

That's a curious response considering the SCI report's findings:

Although the laboratories that conduct these tests are referred to in federal regulations as "Independent Testing Authorities," the fact that the tests are carried out at the expense of manufacturers whose products could be made more marketable by the results makes them anything but independent. Aside from the obvious appearance, if not outright reality, of a conflict of interest, this arrangement raises questions about the extent to which the public can have confidence in the ultimate integrity of the core machinery used in the electoral process.

What's even more shocking is that the report is very specific about suggesting how the state should conduct compliance testing. Milgram may want to reconsider blocking professor Felten from conducting an investigation:

New Jersey should move away from the practice of allowing vendors to pay for tests to certify machines as HAVA compliant. If it is determined to be economically unfeasible to arrange independent testing of voting machines via commercial laboratories under contract with the State, New Jersey should explore alternate remedies, such as utilizing the expertise of its own public research universities.

You can't get much more contradictory than that (except for the fact that Princeton is a private - not public - university). The Attorney General's office is doing the exact opposite of what the state's independent watchdog agency's study recommends. They're putting control of our election system into the hands of a machine manufacturer instead of demanding any real accountability. Attorney General Milgram's priorities are misplaced, and she should resign before doing permanent damage to the integrity of our voting process.

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Milgram should resign

by: Juan Melli

Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 08:02:00 PM EDT

Inconsistencies were discovered in Union County's voting machine results by county clerk Joanne Rajoppi. She tried to arrange an independent review of the machines by Princeton computer science professor Ed Felten. The voting machine manufacturer - Sequoia - threatened legal action to block the review (because Felten has successfully uncovered flaws in other machines in the past), and now Attorney General Milgram is supporting Sequoia in their effort to block the independent review.

Where's the accountability?

The state attorney general is satisfied with the steps taken by Sequoia Voting Systems to identify and remedy problems with its voting machines, a spokesman said today after county officials sent Anne Milgram a forcefully-worded letter demanding she join their push for an independent analysis of the equipment.
David Wald, a state spokesman, did not comment directly on the county officials' demands, but said, "Sequoia told us they intend to run the machines through another independent lab."

Though the problems with the machines were first discovered in Union County, they aren't limited to one machine, one precinct, or even one county. It's widespread.

Since Rajoppi unearthed the problem, officials in Bergen, Cape May, Gloucester, Mercer and Middlesex counties duplicated what she did, and also found the number of Democrats and Republicans casting ballots did not match when the cartridge printouts from the machines were compared against the paper-tape backup inside the devices.
While six counties reported finding discrepancies, Rajoppi said the problem may be more widespread since the same machines, manufactured by Sequoia Voting System, are used in 18 of New Jersey's 21 counties.

The vast majority of our state votes on the same flawed machines - machines that have already been certified by our state. Both Sequoia and the state have completely failed to provide an accurate and voter-verifiable voting system, but Milgram is giving Sequoia yet another pass. It's sad that the integrity of our vote is such a low priority for this administration.

This is complete negligence from the chief election official in the state. Attorney General Milgram should resign for failing to protect our vote.

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Scutari Slams Sequoia

by: Juan Melli

Tue Mar 18, 2008 at 02:58:30 PM EDT

After noticing inconsistencies in the voting results of the February 5th primary, Union County's clerk asked Princeton University computer science professor Edward Felten to conduct an independent study on the county's machines. Sequoia, the voting machine manufacture, threatened legal action to block the investigation. Senator Scutari, who represents Union County, responded:

"Evidently, Sequoia believes that maintaining its 'trade secrets' trumps the rights of New Jerseyans to have their votes properly recorded in an election. I call upon the company to submit to an independent investigation as proposed by Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and the Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey in order to insure the integrity of its machines ahead of November?s general election."

Scutari also said that the State Government Committee may look into the matter if Sequoia does not comply.

"Elections fall under our purview, and I am certain that the committee's membership would be very interested in hearing Sequoia defend its policy of preventing election officials from acting to protect our constituents? right to vote."

Best of all, Scutari said he will introduce legislation to make the state pay to replace current voting machines "with optical scan paper ballot technology in all 21 counties, should Sequoia and the Attorney General fail to produce a machine with viable Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) technology by January 1, 2009."

Sequoia already sold us their crappy machines, but they still make money from contracts for service and training. I think it is important to draw a line in the sand to motivate them and the Attorney General to end their foot-dragging. Current law contains a loophole that will extend the deadline indefinitely, and because the state does not want to pay for new machines, they have no reason to not continue granting extensions. Like in Iraq, the only way to incentivize progress is to indicate that we are serious by setting a clear deadline.

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