The Robot That Killed Robert Williams

This week in InfoSec 10:35)

With content liberated from the “today in infosec” twitter account and further afield

16th January 1983: Lotus 1-2-3 Goes on Sale

The Lotus Development Corporation releases Lotus 1-2-3 for IBM computers. While not the first spreadsheet program, Lotus was able to develop 1-2-3 because the creators of VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet, did not patent their software. 1-2-3 outsold VisiCalc by the end of the year and 2 years later Lotus bought out the assets of VisiCalc and hired its main creator as a consultant.

25th January 1979: Robot Kills Auto Worker

Robert Williams of Michigan was the first human to be killed by a robot. He was 25 years old. The accident at the Ford Motor Company resulted in a $10 million dollar lawsuit. The jury deliberated for two-and-a-half hours before announcing the decision against Unit Handling Systems, a division of Litton Industries. It ordered the manufacturer of the one-ton robot that killed Williams to pay his family $10 million. The robot was designed to retrieve parts from storage, but its work was deemed too slow. Williams was retrieving a part from a storage bin when the robot's arm hit him in the head, killing him instantly. In the suit, the family claimed the robot had no safety mechanisms, lacking even a warning noise to alert workers that it was nearby.

21st January 1981: It Could Go at Least 88 MPH

Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. While not truly a technological achievement, the DeLorean became known as a symbol of the high-tech 1980’s.

Daves - https://twitter.com/HackingDave/status/1458576672341516290?s=20&t=SfemFgw0mfQ_eeuljrj6EA  

Rant of the Week (18:35)

MSG probed over use of facial recognition to eject lawyers from show venues

The operator of Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall is being probed by New York's attorney general over the company's use of facial recognition technology to identify and exclude lawyers from events. AG Letitia James' office said the policy may violate civil rights laws.

Because of the policy, lawyers who work for firms involved in litigation against MSG Entertainment Corp. can be denied entry to shows or sporting events, even when they have no direct involvement in any lawsuits against MSG. A lawyer who is subject to MSG's policy may buy a ticket to an event but be unable to get in because the MSG venues use facial recognition to identify them.

In December, attorney Kelly Conlon was denied entry into Radio City Music Hall in New York when she accompanied her daughter's Girl Scout troop to a Rockettes show. Conlon wasn't personally involved in any lawsuits against MSG but is a lawyer for a firm that "has been involved in personal injury litigation against a restaurant venue now under the umbrella of MSG Entertainment," NBC New York reported.

James' office sent a letter Tuesday to MSG Entertainment, noting reports that it "used facial recognition software to forbid all lawyers in all law firms representing clients engaged in any litigation against the Company from entering the Company's venues in New York, including the use of any season tickets."

"We write to raise concerns that the Policy may violate the New York Civil Rights Law and other city, state, and federal laws prohibiting discrimination and retaliation for engaging in protected activity," Assistant AG Kyle Rapiñan of the Civil Rights Bureau wrote in the letter. "Such practices certainly run counter to the spirit and purpose of such laws, and laws promoting equal access to the courts: forbidding entry to lawyers representing clients who have engaged in litigation against the Company may dissuade such lawyers from taking on legitimate cases, including sexual harassment or employment discrimination claims."

The AG's office also said it is concerned that "facial recognition software may be plagued with biases and false positives against people of color and women." The letter asked MSG Entertainment to respond by February 13 "to state the justifications for the Company's Policy and identify all efforts you are undertaking to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and that the Company's use of facial recognition technology will not lead to discrimination."

Billy Big Balls of the Week  (32:11)

DoNotPay Retires 'Robot Lawyer' Before It Even Has Its First Case

If you’ve been fantasizing about the day when artificial intelligence could get you out of paying traffic tickets, you’ll just have to keep dreaming. DoNotPay has backed out of its plans to use an AI-powered “robot lawyer” to council a defendant through a courtroom hearing in real time. The reason why? Well, apparently the law got in the way of the robot’s lawyering. 

The company’s founder and CEO, Joshua Browder, first announced the news in a Wednesday tweet. “After receiving threats from State Bar prosecutors, it seems likely they will put me in jail for 6 months if I follow through with bringing a robot lawyer into a physical courtroom,” he wrote. In a phone call with Gizmodo, Browder reiterated his view that, were he to follow-through on his initial promises, he’d likely end up with a prison sentence. 

Industry News (36:28) 

WhatsApp Hit with €5.5m fine for GDPR Violations

New Cheats May Emerge After Riot Games Hack

Regulator Stress Test Highlights Cyber Insurance Concerns

Ticketmaster Claims Bot Attack Disrupted Taylor Swift Tour Sales

Yahoo Overtakes DHL As Most Impersonated Brand in Q4 2022

North Korean Group TA444 Shows 'Startup' Culture, Tries Numerous Infection Methods

NCSC: Iranian and Russian Groups Targeting Government, Activists and Journalists With Spearphishing

Zacks Investment Research Confirms Breach Affecting 820,000 Customers

Iranian Group Cobalt Sapling Targets Saudi Arabia With New Persona

https://scambusters.org/scambusters19.html < 1997 Yahoo award scam

Tweet of the Week (44:18)

https://twitter.com/cybergibbons/status/1618672522853240833

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