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bruce_schneier_feedThis is crazy. Lawmakers in several US states are contemplating banning VPNs, because…think of the children!
As of this writing, Wisconsin lawmakers are escalating their war on privacy by targeting VPNs in the name of “protecting children” in A.B. 105/S.B. 130. It’s an age verification bill that requires all websites distributing material that could conceivably be deemed “sexual content” to both implement an age verification system and also to block the access of users connected via VPN. The bill seeks to broadly expand the definition of materials that are “harmful to minors” beyond the type of speech that states can prohibit minors from accessing potentially encompassing things like depictions and discussions of human anatomy, sexuality, and reproduction.
The EFF link explains why this is a terrible idea.
schneier_no_tracking_feedThis is crazy. Lawmakers in several US states are contemplating banning VPNs, because…think of the children!
As of this writing, Wisconsin lawmakers are escalating their war on privacy by targeting VPNs in the name of “protecting children” in A.B. 105/S.B. 130. It’s an age verification bill that requires all websites distributing material that could conceivably be deemed “sexual content” to both implement an age verification system and also to block the access of users connected via VPN. The bill seeks to broadly expand the definition of materials that are “harmful to minors” beyond the type of speech that states can prohibit minors from accessing potentially encompassing things like depictions and discussions of human anatomy, sexuality, and reproduction.
The EFF link explains why this is a terrible idea.
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Photo by Animal Care Team Lead Darcy, via Kansas City Zoo - they write:
In 2023, we welcomed Matti and fellow sea otter Owin to Sobela Ocean Aquarium after they were rescued as stranded pups. Efforts were made to find them surrogate mothers in the hopes of releasing them into the wild, but the lack of successful surrogates deemed them non-releasable and the duo now have a caring home at the KCZoo.
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Short Description: An interactive look at how people, not machines, often decide the outcome of security breaches. Mentalist and anthropologist Paul Draper demonstrates how social engineers work and offers practical ways to strengthen everyday cyber awareness: Using live demonstrations and performance mentalism to make the lessons unforgettable.
Abstract: Technical tools keep improving, yet many successful attacks still begin with a simple human mistake. Most breaches start with someone who was persuaded, pressured, or misdirected at just the right moment. This seminar focuses on that human side of cybersecurity.
Paul Draper, a mentalist and anthropologist who studies deception, walks the audience through the thinking patterns that social engineers rely on. Using real cases along with live mentalism demonstrations, he shows how attackers take advantage of trust, curiosity, politeness, and even stress.
These examples highlight how easily people can be influenced during routine digital interactions. Draper blends research with performance, illustrating how the same principles that guide illusion, misdirection, and mentalism appear in emails, phone calls, and online conversations. Attendees will experience firsthand how assumptions and quick decisions create openings that technical defenses cannot always block.
Participants will leave with clear, practical steps for improving their own security habits and for recognizing common manipulation strategies. The goal is to help students and faculty respond to digital threats with greater awareness, confidence, and even a sense of wonder.
Speaker Bio: Paul W. Draper is an anthropologist and professional mentalist whose work focuses on deception, attention, and human behavior. He is the official mentalist for Disneyland, has served on the council for the Magic Circle in London, and headlined at the Venetian Casino in Las Vegas for seven years. He has appeared on Inside the NBA with Shaquille O’Neal and has performed for hundreds of celebrities, including Millie Bobby Brown, Dick Van Dyke, and J.J. Abrams, as well as multiple times for employees at Bentley, Apple, and Meta/Facebook HQ.
Draper has presented on cybersecurity and social engineering at the United Nations, WIPO , and the World Bank. His article, Misinformation, Magic, and Mendacity: Peeking Behind the Curtain to Explore the World of Deception, was recently published in Anthropology of Consciousness through Wiley Press and the American Anthropological Association. In New York state, attorneys are required to complete his cybersecurity seminar through Reuters as part of their continuing legal education.
Draper combines insights from cognitive anthropology with live mentalism and stage performance to help audiences understand how people are influenced and how those same mechanisms shape digital security. The result is a seminar that informs, entertains, and leaves a lasting impression.
Posters and Photos: https://pauldraper.com/information-and-media/
Link to join virtually: https://cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89473073451
This talk is being recorded. If you do not wish to be seen in the recording, please avoid sitting in the front three rows of seats in the lecture theatre. Any questions asked will also be included in the recording. The recording will be made available on the Department’s webpage
yuletidemods posting in yuletide_pinch_hitsfiredrake_feed2014 police procedural mystery novella, tartan noir, in the Logan McRae series. On the night of the Scottish independence referendum, McRae is trying to track down a missing "no" campaigner. But the next morning, he's going to wake up hung over, naked, in a strange bed, with his boss…
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