more on Tsunami & Internet -- good & bad

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Tor Fosheim   (prv)" <tfosheim () start no>
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2005 02:37:16 +0100
To: <dave () farber net>
Cc: Ip <ip () v2 listbox com>, <digitalt () ad3-1-pip netcom no>
Subject: Re: [IP] Tsunami & Internet -- good & bad

Hi Dave,

I thought you might appreciate this - even if the linked article is in
Norwegian: 
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/flodbolgen/article941779.ece

It seems a lot of people of have been using the Internet to find the
relatives of (usually western) survivors. Even though this was a great
help in bringing quite a few families together, the emails themselve
continue to thrive - much like the good old "missing persons"-mails of
yore.

This could potentially be a huge liability for people who suddenly find
themselves plastered all over the web, no matter that they are safe and
sound together with their families now.

So lets hope people think twice before forwarding those emails. Its a
dilemma, i know - but there _are_ professionals on the case.

Speaking of which, most scandinavian countries have already sent crack
forensic teams to the area to help identify both the living and the
dead. I assume other countries have done the same.

In Norway we started off with about 20 dead and 1000 missing, until the
police published a list of names - which was promtly reduced to a few
hundred missing and about 12, dead after shocked citizens used the net
and found themselves listed as missing in action, and a few typos were
sorted out.

All the best from Oslo, I'd better get on a plane to CES now :)

Tor

PS: Here's one of the emails in question, just so you know:

> Subject: VS: Does anybody recognize this boy?
>
>
>
> Please  send this to all - we mean all! - the people in your entire
> network.
>
>
>
> Looking  for his family.
>
>
>
>
>
>                 The boy about 2 years, from  Khoa Lak is missing his
>
> parents. Nobody knows what country he comes from. If  anyboy known him
>
> please contact us by phone 076-249400-4 ext. 1336, 1339 or e-  mail :
>
> info () phuket-inter-hospital co th
> <mailto:info () phuket-inter-hospital co th>


_______________
Tor Fosheim
Journalist,
www.dinside.no/data

På 6. jan. 2005 kl. 02.11 skrev David Farber:

>  ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Dan Updegrove <updegrove () mail utexas edu>
> Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 18:49:18 -0600
> To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Tsunami & Internet -- good & bad
>
>  Dave,
>
>  CNN carries upbeat article, "Internet aids tsunami recovery" (excerpt
> below).
>
>  I also have heard a report of phishing e-mail with a roaming website
> alleging to be from the Red Cross that accepts credit card donations
> for tsunami relief efforts. In return contributors are provided with
> an "official" receipt for IRS tax reporting purposes.
>
>  Apparently moral bankruptcy has no limits.
>
>  Dan
>
>
>
>  By Michael Coren
>  CNN
>  Wednesday, January 5, 2005 Posted: 6:08 PM EST (2308 GMT)
>
>
> (CNN) -- The Internet has played an unprecedented role supplying aid,
> money and information in the aftermath of the Asian tsunamis.
>
> Hours after the first waves crashed onto the coastlines, an electronic
> movement was underway. Donations poured into aid agencies through Web
> sites. Friends, relatives and strangers scoured the Internet for
> information about missing relatives and tsunami survivors.
>
>  Hours after the first waves crashed onto the coastlines, an
> electronic movement was underway. Donations poured into aid agencies
> through Web sites. Friends, relatives and strangers scoured the
> Internet for information about missing relatives and tsunami
> survivors.
>
>  Individuals, linked by an electronic network from text messages to
> Web sites, began answering pleas for help, releasing list of survivors
> and funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to aid agencies even as
> authorities struggled to gain control of the situation.
>
>  ...
>
> http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/01/05/tech.tsunami/
>
>
>
>
>  VP  for Information Technology          Phone (512) 232-9610
>  The University of Texas at Austin      Fax (512) 232-9607
>  FAC 248 (Mail code: G9800)             d.updegrove () its utexas edu
>  P.O. Box 7407                                  http://
> <http://wnt.utexas.edu/~danu/> wnt.utexas.edu/~danu/
> <http://wnt.utexas.edu/~danu/>
>  Austin, TX 78713-7407
>
>  ------ End of Forwarded Message
>
>  You are subscribed as tfosheim () start no To manage your subscription,
> go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
>
> Archives at: 
> http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/


------ End of Forwarded Message


-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
  http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/