What I’m Reading: May 2019 — Tech, Hybrid War, Middle East Tactics, and Chinese Strategy

Articles I found most interesting in May 2019:

Silicon Valley is awash in Chinese and Saudi cash — and no one is paying attention (except Trump) — Vox, 5/1/2019

A lengthy look at foreign-funded venture capital investments in Silicon Valley. For years, the Chinese and the Saudis poured billions in tech and start-up companies. Recently, the US government has gotten involved, attempted to limit the amount of Chinese influence. And Saudi influence was temporarily hindered by the assassination of Jamal Khasshogi. It is definitely interesting how geopolitical the tech world has become, especially on the business side.

Facebook’s Surveillance-Like Software Is Called Audience Network — Hacker Noon, 5/20/2019

Interesting exploration into Facebook’s strategic change from an ad-driven business to a data-selling business. Facebook’s agreements with vendors to share information even for users not on Facebook changed the way the company does business. The article advocates for more regulation on Facebook due to its holding of information. However, it compares Facebook to a bank or hospital. Neither of those are as completely optional in society as Facebook.

How to spot the realistic faces creeping into your timelines — Fast Company, 4/30/2019

As artificial intelligence grows, so too does the power of fakes. As we break down the human face, several computer scientists are generating “deepfaces” — fake faces that could be real, but are usually wrong due to a slight eye difference or background change. The article also details how academia is trying to develop ideas to immunize people and help them understand when what they see is not true.

How to Evaluate Threat Intelligence Vendors That Cover the Deep & Dark Web — Security Week, 5/20/2019

Interesting discussion on how to compare and contrast intelligence services that scour the depth of the internet for information. Corporations always have to know where their information may surface. Some investigative companies have connections, others do not.

What Should We Do to Prevent Software From Failing? — MIT Sloan Management Review, 5/20/2019