This is horrific.
According to media reports, an obsessed fan assaulted a J-Pop star after determining where she lived by zooming in on selfies she had posted on social media, and examining the reflection in her eyes.
26-year-old “fan” Hibiki Sato attacked Japanese idol Ena Matsuoka outside her home, after zooming in to a reflection of a sign in her eyes’ pupils in a photograph she had posted online.
According to AsiaOne, Sato was able to uncover the general location through Google Maps’ Street View.
He was then able to further narrow down the location of 21-year-old Matsuoka’s home by studying other photos she had published online, including ones which included her curtains and by examining the angle of sunlight.
On the day of the assault, September 1st, Sato lay in wait at the station after the young member of the Tenshi Tsukinukeni Yomi J-Pop group had performed a concert, and followed her back to her home where he dragged into a corner and molested her.
Sato was arrested on September 17th, and immediately admitted to police that he had both committed the assault and that he was a big fan of Ena Matsuoka.
Quite how you can be both a fan of someone and the person who assaults them beggars my belief…
What I mean by that is that if you consider yourself to be a fan of someone, the very last thing you should be considering is causing that person harm, or putting them in a position where they might experience anxiety or fear. If your feelings or actions are leading you in that direction then you’re not a “fan”, you’re a potentially dangerous fanatic.
Of course, if you’re that dangerously obsessed with someone then reason might be a stranger to you.
According to media reports, Tenshi Tsukinukeni Yomi confirmed via social media that it was Ena Matsuoka who had been attacked.
At the end of last year, another member of a J-Pop group was said to have been assaulted by obsessive fans at her home. 23-year-old Maho Yamaguchi, a singer with NGT48, claimed that her music management company had not supported her after the assault and – outrageously – ended up apologising on-stage for “causing trouble.”
Meanwhile, in 2016, 20-year-old J-Pop singer Mayu Tomita was stabbed 34 times by an obsessed fan, leaving her partially blinded.
It’s no wonder that more and more people are growing increasingly concerned about being digitally stalked.
We’re used to popular social media services removing the EXIF metadata which might reveal the GPS location where a photo was taken. I wonder what could be done to blur or excise sensitive details which may be hiding in the reflection of someone’s eyes.
Because I really can’t see modern smartphones reducing the quality of the high definition images that can be captured with their cameras…
The rapid advance of new technology and its growing involvement in our lives is, I suspect, providing worrying new opportunities for innocent people to be stalked.
Hear more discussion of this topic in this episode of the “Smashing Security” podcast:
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This transcript was generated automatically, probably contains mistakes, and has not been manually verified.
Yeah, I have seen this sort of thing where if someone's broadcasting live, so you know the precise time of day, you can align that with the angle of the sun coming in.
The shadows being cast — you can know within a certain degree of accuracy where someone is. You can reverse engineer the angles and it can help you figure out where they are.
The shadows being cast — you can know within a certain degree of accuracy where someone is. You can reverse engineer the angles and it can help you figure out where they are.
Are you saying that all America had to do for all those years was say to Osama bin Laden, "Do you mind getting on Skype with us, or something like that," and they could have then found out where he was?
Smashing Security, Episode 150: Liverpool Wags, Facebook Politics, and a Selfie Stalker, with Carole Theriault and Graham Cluley.
Hello, hello, and welcome to Smashing Security, Episode 150. My name's Graham Cluley.
Smashing Security, Episode 150: Liverpool Wags, Facebook Politics, and a Selfie Stalker, with Carole Theriault and Graham Cluley.
Hello, hello, and welcome to Smashing Security, Episode 150. My name's Graham Cluley.
And I'm Carole Theriault.
And this jolly old — well, it is morning for our guest today, obviously. Dave Bittner from Hacking Humans and the CyberWire.
You know, it is morning. In fact, I think I'm going to go and take a look out the window and just take a gander. There's a bright golden haze on the meadow.
There's a bright golden haze on the meadow.
There's a bright golden haze on the meadow.
Is he pressed like clay?
The corn is as high as an elephant's eye, and it looks like it's climbing clear up to the sky.
Oh, what a beautiful morning.
It is a lovely morning here, actually. Thank you for having me. It's how I start every morning.
Was that you, Dave?
That was me.
Dave, can I ask you a question?
Yes.
Are you using our show to try and change careers? I mean, you know, I know we've got a substantial and influential audience out there of listeners.
I think the listeners would probably agree that I'm using your show to remind people why I'm in the career I'm in and not as a professional singer.
I think you sounded fantastic.
Carole, what have we got coming up on the show this week?
Well, first, thanks to this week's sponsors: LastPass, Code42, and Immersive Labs. Their support helps us give you the show for free.
Now on today's show, Graham, you take us to the land of sport and football — football or soccer for you Americans.
Dave gets all political on our butts and shines a light on Facebook's underbelly. And I'm heading to Japan to share a story that might change how you snap your selfies.
All this and loads more coming up on this episode of Smashing Security.
Now on today's show, Graham, you take us to the land of sport and football — football or soccer for you Americans.
Dave gets all political on our butts and shines a light on Facebook's underbelly. And I'm heading to Japan to share a story that might change how you snap your selfies.
All this and loads more coming up on this episode of Smashing Security.
Now, chums — fellows, friends, chums.
I like chums.
Chums. Chums is good.
My mum used to call me chum when I was little, so, you know, that's a good one. I'm going to give that one a thumbs up.
Okay, well, maybe we'll stick with that then. Now, chums, we are joined today by podcast royalty, very much.
Yes, you're welcome.
I mean, obviously, Carole, you appear not only on this show but also on Hacking Humans and CyberWire.
Obviously, Dave, you're on Grumpy Old Geeks from time to time, Hacking Humans, CyberWire, who knows what else you're on as well.
And I imagine that you, like me, sometimes have a bit of a problem with the tabloids, the paparazzi trying to find out what we're up to, you know, just to fill up their tittle-tattle sheets with gossip.
Obviously, Dave, you're on Grumpy Old Geeks from time to time, Hacking Humans, CyberWire, who knows what else you're on as well.
And I imagine that you, like me, sometimes have a bit of a problem with the tabloids, the paparazzi trying to find out what we're up to, you know, just to fill up their tittle-tattle sheets with gossip.
It's a real burden.
Yes.
You're talking about your local village paper there, Graham?
That's right. So the parish news, when they come around, they're trying to fill up. That's what happens. And it happens to all sorts of other people as well.
And as you know, I take an active interest in fitness and I'm a huge fan of sport, and one of my great loves is the fabulous game of football.
And it has hit the news headlines and the IT security news headlines, not because of the footballers, but because of who they are married to. A couple of WAGs.
Dave, are you familiar with the term WAGs?
And as you know, I take an active interest in fitness and I'm a huge fan of sport, and one of my great loves is the fabulous game of football.
And it has hit the news headlines and the IT security news headlines, not because of the footballers, but because of who they are married to. A couple of WAGs.
Dave, are you familiar with the term WAGs?
I am not.
Oh, it's a great term.
The term WAG first came up maybe 10 years ago or so here in the UK. It stands for Wife and girlfriend.
And the top footballers representing England at the international competitions, they're all sort of, you know, sort of, mm, they're a bit, ugh, you know, they're all the, ugh, right?
All the wives and girlfriends.
And the top footballers representing England at the international competitions, they're all sort of, you know, sort of, mm, they're a bit, ugh, you know, they're all the, ugh, right?
All the wives and girlfriends.
I know, I don't know what those sounds mean. Are those good sounds or bad sounds?
They're all a little bit pneumatic.
This is kind of people that Graham hangs out with.
They've got the Botox and they're beautiful, their long tresses and everything.
They are deliberately groomed. Yes.
To within an inch of their lives. Yeah.
And they were called the WAGs. And they're very glamorous in a particular way. And for some reason, they all seem to come from Liverpool, as far as I can tell.
That's not true.
Well, a large number of them do appear to be Scouse. So if you can imagine, it's like, "Hey, alright, they're talking like that all the time. Alright, where's my leckie?" Etc., etc.
Now, one of these ladies is called Coleen Rooney, and she is married to a real superstar of the English football team called Wayne Rooney.
He was actually England's all-time record goalscorer. He used to play for Manchester United, now plays over in the States, which means basically he's retired.
Now, one of these ladies is called Coleen Rooney, and she is married to a real superstar of the English football team called Wayne Rooney.
He was actually England's all-time record goalscorer. He used to play for Manchester United, now plays over in the States, which means basically he's retired.
Is he a good guy? Is he a good guy?
Wayne Rooney?
Yeah. Hmm.
He's been in the tabloids a lot. Various allegations of naughtiness.
I don't follow this at all, but I did have some inkling of that. Right, okay.
Yes, yes.
You can go read it for yourselves.
A few scrapes with the law and a few, yes, encounters with other people other than his beloved Coleen, who I think he met when he was a schoolboy and has now had numerous children with.
Of course, I mean, you and Wayne obviously have very busy lives. How hard does it make it, particularly living in the public eye, being a mum?
Of course, I mean, you and Wayne obviously have very busy lives. How hard does it make it, particularly living in the public eye, being a mum?
I wouldn't say it's that hard because I don't make it hard for myself. I think you can pick and choose, you know.
Some of the intrusions, quite hard sometimes, but you've just got to be a strong person and get on with it, you know.
Some of the intrusions, quite hard sometimes, but you've just got to be a strong person and get on with it, you know.
So there's Coleen Rooney, and in the other corner of this battle is another WAG called Rebecca Vardy. Rebecca with a K, which to my opinion isn't.
I mean, I'm not sure you should call them WAGs just because they happen to be groomed wives. Yeah, I mean, WAGs is kind of like trophy wife, Dave. It's kind of like that.
And I don't see—
I mean, just because they happen to be married to footballers, I don't know.
So WAG is a derogatory term?
No, it is. It kind of is. Well, I think it is, certainly. So I don't know, whatever. Graham, you're getting into a lot of water here. I don't mean to bring all this up.
I'm just, you know what, I'm just trying to keep you modern, keep you, keep you with the times.
I'm just, you know what, I'm just trying to keep you modern, keep you, keep you with the times.
Well, yeah, no, fair enough, fair enough.
And in fact, I am going to share some information with you as to what one of these WAGs has been up to, which really has rather impressed me.
And so she isn't fitting the sort of stereotype which people often paint.
So what we are talking about is what the tabloids are now terming as WAGgy leaks, or maybe a case of Wagatha Christie solving a mystery.
To my view, it's handbags at dawn between the two of them because they've had a big falling out.
And in fact, I am going to share some information with you as to what one of these WAGs has been up to, which really has rather impressed me.
And so she isn't fitting the sort of stereotype which people often paint.
So what we are talking about is what the tabloids are now terming as WAGgy leaks, or maybe a case of Wagatha Christie solving a mystery.
To my view, it's handbags at dawn between the two of them because they've had a big falling out.
The two girls?
Yes, exactly.
Because for years, the tabloids have loved to write about Coleen Rooney, and Coleen has been getting rather upset about this, and she's been concerned as to, well, where are they getting all of these stories from about my private life?
Because for years, the tabloids have loved to write about Coleen Rooney, and Coleen has been getting rather upset about this, and she's been concerned as to, well, where are they getting all of these stories from about my private life?
Well, if they're fake, they're not getting them from anywhere.
Well, some of them maybe aren't fake, right? The ones she's been concerned about.
And so what happened was that she perpetrated an elaborate sting in order to try and determine who may have been the leaker of her private information.
And so what happened was that she perpetrated an elaborate sting in order to try and determine who may have been the leaker of her private information.
Oh, Donald Trump might want to listen to this episode.
Well, Coleen Rooney runs a private Instagram account, a private personal one, as well as her sort of public one, I imagine.
Like almost every other person in the universe.
Well, I don't know if most people do. No? No, I think a lot of people just sort of do it publicly, don't they?
But she was running a private one just for her inner circle of real friends rather than the masses, the unwashed civilians who are out there.
And over the course of around about five months, she says that she was posting fake stories on her private Instagram account.
And these were stories like things like she and her husband Wayne were trying to choose the gender of their next baby by getting treatment in Mexico, and she was going to return to hosting TV shows, or there'd been a flood at their mansion.
All of these sort of things. And every time she posted a new fake story onto her Instagram account, they were appearing in The Sun newspaper as exclusives.
But she was running a private one just for her inner circle of real friends rather than the masses, the unwashed civilians who are out there.
And over the course of around about five months, she says that she was posting fake stories on her private Instagram account.
And these were stories like things like she and her husband Wayne were trying to choose the gender of their next baby by getting treatment in Mexico, and she was going to return to hosting TV shows, or there'd been a flood at their mansion.
All of these sort of things. And every time she posted a new fake story onto her Instagram account, they were appearing in The Sun newspaper as exclusives.
You know what's kind of weird about this, right? So she is posting these stories up, so effectively she is telling these lies about herself.
Yes.
So she only has herself to freaking blame.
Ah, well, this is where she was really clever. Okay. She knew that only certain people were following her Instagram account.
Her private.
Her private personal one. Yeah. Where she was posting these things. So over time, as each story appeared in The Sun, she would whittle it down.
She blocked one person.
Exactly.
To reduce it down to one.
No, she didn't. She did. She whittled it down one by one until there was just one person left in her list of people who could see her updates.
And the next story she posted about the flood in her mansion also appeared in The Sun newspaper.
And the next story she posted about the flood in her mansion also appeared in The Sun newspaper.
Dun dun dun!
Yes, it was a whodunit by Rooney, you see. And so, and what she then did was then she went nuclear because obviously she was rather upset.
And so she posted on Twitter about what she'd done. And then she kind of went, and the account was, drum roll, Rebecca Vardy, one of the other WAGs.
And so she posted on Twitter about what she'd done. And then she kind of went, and the account was, drum roll, Rebecca Vardy, one of the other WAGs.
Her buddy. Right, before this? Presumably she was in the inner circle.
You would imagine so, right?
Right.
And so everyone went bonkers over this. Well, when I say everyone, everyone who follows this sort of tittle-tattle.
Yeah, okay.
But the tabloids obviously were absolutely fascinated about this because basically she doubted her.
She hadn't gone to Rebekah and said, "Oi, what you doing with me private Insta stories?" or anything like that. And Rebekah Vardy, who was on holiday in Dubai.
She hadn't gone to Rebekah and said, "Oi, what you doing with me private Insta stories?" or anything like that. And Rebekah Vardy, who was on holiday in Dubai.
As you do.
As you do. She's obviously rather upset about it. So she's denying everything. She's saying, well, it wasn't me.
She says, over the years, various people have had access to my Instagram account.
She says, over the years, various people have had access to my Instagram account.
Oh, the Weinergate excuse. Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
And just this week, she says, I found I was following people I didn't know and have never followed myself.
Because it turned out she was following a couple of the journalists at The Sun who had been writing those disputed stories.
So The Sun had been getting this gossip, we don't know where from.
It had then gone to Coleen Rooney and said, hey, we're going to write this story about you, do you want to confirm it or deny it?
Because it turned out she was following a couple of the journalists at The Sun who had been writing those disputed stories.
So The Sun had been getting this gossip, we don't know where from.
It had then gone to Coleen Rooney and said, hey, we're going to write this story about you, do you want to confirm it or deny it?
Right.
And she always refused to answer it. So they've been publishing fake stories for months.
She refused to confirm or deny because she was on her big whodunit to try and work out who was actually responsible for these things. So what do you think's going on here?
Do you think it is Rebekah Vardy, or do you think there's another explanation?
She refused to confirm or deny because she was on her big whodunit to try and work out who was actually responsible for these things. So what do you think's going on here?
Do you think it is Rebekah Vardy, or do you think there's another explanation?
Well, what would Rebekah's motivation be, right, to do this?
Oh, I love it.
Does she need the money?
You're not just a great singer. No, of course she doesn't. She's married to a footballer.
Need is very relative, right? Need is very relative. And who knows how much the daily tabloids would pay for those little tidbits?
It might be a new pair of shoes, a new pair of Louboutins.
It might be a new pair of shoes, a new pair of Louboutins.
So she has worked for The Sun in the past. She has, I think, written a column and things like that. Oh, so she's got contacts.
And so she has contacts there, and she does follow a couple of The Sun journalists.
A source at The Sun, according to The Guardian, has said that they've never paid her for any stories about Coleen Rooney.
Now, of course, even if you're not paying someone, there might be other motivations. It may not just be financial.
For instance, if you wanted a newspaper to only publish positive stories about you or to have a little bit of leverage over them, you might tempt them with gossip of your own about one of your pals.
And so she has contacts there, and she does follow a couple of The Sun journalists.
A source at The Sun, according to The Guardian, has said that they've never paid her for any stories about Coleen Rooney.
Now, of course, even if you're not paying someone, there might be other motivations. It may not just be financial.
For instance, if you wanted a newspaper to only publish positive stories about you or to have a little bit of leverage over them, you might tempt them with gossip of your own about one of your pals.
No, you might try and give them news they might like, but of course these newspapers just want some dirt, right?
Even if it's not damaging, it might— they just may want something exclusive.
Because there's a challenge, I think, these days for tabloid newspapers because so many celebrities are being so public about their private lives on social medias.
It's harder and harder for the tabloids to get an exclusive.
So if a tabloid journalist could access a close personal friend's Instagram account, that would give them that inside track as to what was really going on.
But they wouldn't necessarily know if they were being fooled along the way.
Because there's a challenge, I think, these days for tabloid newspapers because so many celebrities are being so public about their private lives on social medias.
It's harder and harder for the tabloids to get an exclusive.
So if a tabloid journalist could access a close personal friend's Instagram account, that would give them that inside track as to what was really going on.
But they wouldn't necessarily know if they were being fooled along the way.
And also it's free. They don't have to pay for the tip either.
Well, you might have to pay if you hacked the account. And of course—
Well, you might have to pay in more ways than one.
Right. Yeah, yeah. And the British tabloids have been in trouble with that in the past.
We've just seen the last few weeks Prince Harry has taken action against some of the British tabloids as well over allegations of phone hacking and all kinds of nefarious things.
So it certainly isn't beyond those newspapers to do underhand things like that.
We've just seen the last few weeks Prince Harry has taken action against some of the British tabloids as well over allegations of phone hacking and all kinds of nefarious things.
So it certainly isn't beyond those newspapers to do underhand things like that.
Absolutely not.
And at the moment, Rebecca Vardy's saying, it wasn't me. Maybe my account's been hacked. She says she has hired IT experts to investigate who might have had access to her Instagram.
Are you on the payroll? Is that why you're covering the story?
I can neither confirm nor deny, Carole.
Oh, NDAs, NDAs, of course.
I'll post it on my private Instagram.
Well, why did Carole Theriault choose to do all this publicly rather than—
Because she's pissed off.
Yeah, but it's still not a cool move though.
Well, yeah.
They're both douche moves.
You can understand in your rage doing it, can't you? No. I can.
I can understand why someone— I'm not saying it's the right thing to do, but if you feel that you've been betrayed by someone who's your friend, if you genuinely believe it was this person who's been selling stories about you, then maybe you would.
I can understand why someone— I'm not saying it's the right thing to do, but if you feel that you've been betrayed by someone who's your friend, if you genuinely believe it was this person who's been selling stories about you, then maybe you would.
Do you think there's anything to Rebecca's claim that perhaps someone had the password to her account and was getting the information that way?
Well, it's certainly a possibility, isn't it?
Because a lot of celebrities won't necessarily update their own Instagram accounts because they don't know how to spell, and so they get a PR person to do it for them.
You know, it may well be that not everyone is doing it themselves. So it's certainly a possibility, and I think maybe Coleen shouldn't have raced to that assumption.
Because a lot of celebrities won't necessarily update their own Instagram accounts because they don't know how to spell, and so they get a PR person to do it for them.
You know, it may well be that not everyone is doing it themselves. So it's certainly a possibility, and I think maybe Coleen shouldn't have raced to that assumption.
Okay, so whatever. Yeah, what's the takeaway?
I need the takeaway here because basically we're just seeing two people having a bit of a spat and doing it online, and it's a bit stupid.
I need the takeaway here because basically we're just seeing two people having a bit of a spat and doing it online, and it's a bit stupid.
What I here, Carole, what I here is that Coleen Rooney, who some people would have quite a low opinion of, I think she's used the privacy settings on Instagram in quite a smart way.
I've got a sneaking regard for her, even though she went public and said it was this person without necessarily 100% proof.
What a clever way of finding out who might have been leaking information about you and to be more cautious in future.
I've got a sneaking regard for her, even though she went public and said it was this person without necessarily 100% proof.
What a clever way of finding out who might have been leaking information about you and to be more cautious in future.
Why didn't she just say, "Oi, whoever is leaking info on me, stop it, I'm on to you"?
Well, yeah, she could have done that. And there are some—
I think you have a crush on Coleen Rooney, don't you think, Dave? Don't you think that's what's going on?
Possibility. He certainly seems to be spending a lot of energy on this story that really doesn't affect anyone but these two ladies. Who am I to judge?
Hey, Graham!
Hey, Graham!
When do you think my Desi waits? Oh, she's here right now. Dave, what's your story for us?
Well, as you know, Facebook has been in a little bit of hot water lately for the problem they've been having with fake news.
Oh, yes.
And Facebook has attempted to do a better job with this. They've hired more fact-checkers.
Facebook has rules in place that say you cannot buy an ad on Facebook that has false information in it or lies and those things.
Facebook has rules in place that say you cannot buy an ad on Facebook that has false information in it or lies and those things.
Right, right.
Part of the terms of service, if you go and buy an ad on Facebook, Facebook has the right to yank the ad if their fact-checkers find that your ad is false.
And it would stop, for instance, Russian trolls or bots and things doing these sort of things. I mean, that's presumably their hope.
That's the hope. And what Facebook is suggesting here is that ads go through a fact-checking process before they are permitted to run on the platform.
Right, so they have an algorithm that runs and goes, does it meet any of these criteria which makes it dodgy?
And if it does get dodgy, it would go into a quarantine where human eyes might look at it and make a call, for example.
And if it does get dodgy, it would go into a quarantine where human eyes might look at it and make a call, for example.
Right. And there may even be actual real-life human beings who take a look at some things. I know, crazy to think about, but it's possible.
So, as you know, we're really ramping up for the 2020 presidential election campaign over here.
So, as you know, we're really ramping up for the 2020 presidential election campaign over here.
Is it fun?
Oh, it's so much fun. So much, so much fun. And by fun, I mean not fun at all.
Yeah. Yeah. Don't worry. We're in a similar boat. So yeah.
I thought my story was quite fun by that definition, by the way. Can I just say that?
So as you also probably know, one of the front runners on the Democrat side is Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Oh, yes.
And she is running for president. She's doing quite well in the polls these days.
Yeah. She's leading the opposition, isn't she?
She is. At the moment, she is.
Oh, is she ahead of— She had out of old Joe Biden.
She's a few points ahead right now, yeah.
Oh, is she? Oh, I didn't know that.
Now, she has been direct in her criticism of Facebook. In fact, she says that she wants to break up Facebook.
She says Facebook has too much power, and so she's been overt in saying that Facebook, if she becomes president, one of the things she's going to work on is trying to break up Facebook.
She says Facebook has too much power, and so she's been overt in saying that Facebook, if she becomes president, one of the things she's going to work on is trying to break up Facebook.
And wasn't there a leak from Zuckerberg saying that he really didn't like that idea of Warren's at all, that would really mess up their plans.
I can't remember the exact words, but it looks like—
I can't remember the exact words, but it looks like—
I'm not sure there'd have to be a leak. I imagine they're quite open about they're not very keen on that.
But I think they had an all-hands meeting and someone recorded it without permission and the audio leaked and so on and so forth. Yeah.
So Elizabeth Warren was taking issue with some of the ads that Donald Trump is running, among them one that's critical of Joe Biden and Joe Biden's son.
And there are several ads that Trump's been running that have been fact-checked and surprise, wait for it, are false.
So Elizabeth Warren was taking issue with some of the ads that Donald Trump is running, among them one that's critical of Joe Biden and Joe Biden's son.
And there are several ads that Trump's been running that have been fact-checked and surprise, wait for it, are false.
So what do these ads say?
Well, for example, one of the ads says that Democrats are going to repeal the Second Amendment and take away your guns.
Right.
Right. And there are no Democrats who are saying that.
Right.
So, I mean, that's the most basic one.
But there's one where he goes after Joe Biden saying that he tried to give a billion-dollar bribe to Ukraine, which there's no, it's simply not so.
So Elizabeth Warren has taken issue with this and Facebook responded and said, "We have an exemption for political ads where political ads do not have to be true." Right.
But there's one where he goes after Joe Biden saying that he tried to give a billion-dollar bribe to Ukraine, which there's no, it's simply not so.
So Elizabeth Warren has taken issue with this and Facebook responded and said, "We have an exemption for political ads where political ads do not have to be true." Right.
There's a lot of countries that really love that model.
You're not allowed to tell fibs in Facebook ads unless you're a politician, whereupon it becomes almost compulsory, is basically what Facebook is saying right now.
Correct. So people are never supposed to tell the truth in their posts, otherwise it gives away too much information. And in the ads— Everything should be okay. Good.
It's a great model.
It's a great model.
Yeah.
There have been court cases about this on broadcast media where I believe it was a federal judge who said that in broadcast media, the FCC cannot police this, that if a politician wants to put a lie out on a TV commercial, that's fine because it's up to the voters to decide.
It's not up to the government and the FCC to decide what political speech can go out.
There have been court cases about this on broadcast media where I believe it was a federal judge who said that in broadcast media, the FCC cannot police this, that if a politician wants to put a lie out on a TV commercial, that's fine because it's up to the voters to decide.
It's not up to the government and the FCC to decide what political speech can go out.
I'm fucking sorry, but that's just insanity, isn't it? Is it just me? How is it that that's allowed? That it's okay for politicians to go out and just talk shit?
Well, this judge thinks the greater hazard is that you could find yourself in a situation where a politically motivated FCC could prevent political speech, political free speech, from happening at all.
Yeah, I can see the other side of the argument of this, Carole.
You don't necessarily want one group tasked with, well, you decide whether this is true or not, and you be the arbiter as to whether this is something which can be brought up.
You don't necessarily want one group tasked with, well, you decide whether this is true or not, and you be the arbiter as to whether this is something which can be brought up.
I would say, stop talking about the opposition.
Why don't you just focus on you and talk about what you're going to do, and you let them talk about what they want to do, and you let the press do their job to find the dirt?
Why don't you just focus on you and talk about what you're going to do, and you let them talk about what they want to do, and you let the press do their job to find the dirt?
Well, and I think part of what we're dealing with here is that up until now, that's pretty much what happened.
But we've got a different situation with politicians have, particularly Donald Trump, has gone to a place where he just says things.
But we've got a different situation with politicians have, particularly Donald Trump, has gone to a place where he just says things.
It's a little bit feisty over there, isn't it?
And so it's all happening at a different level than I think any of the norms had been established to deal with before.
So Elizabeth Warren, to prove her point, to kind of make her point with Facebook, started running ads on Facebook that say that Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg are promoting and have endorsed Donald Trump.
And so that's the headline in these ads that she's paying for and running, saying, breaking news, Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg endorsed Donald Trump.
So Elizabeth Warren, to prove her point, to kind of make her point with Facebook, started running ads on Facebook that say that Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg are promoting and have endorsed Donald Trump.
And so that's the headline in these ads that she's paying for and running, saying, breaking news, Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg endorsed Donald Trump.
That's a bit ballsy, isn't it?
And then right after that, it says this is not true, but here's the point we're trying to make, that if we can buy an ad that says this thing that is completely untrue, and Facebook has no guardrails in to prevent us from doing this.
Is this a good or a bad thing?
Is this a good or a bad thing?
Please discuss amongst yourselves. The irony, of course, is that they paid for those ads, so Zuck wins.
Right.
Well, and there's another component of this is that there are TV stations who refuse to run ads that have blatant lies in them, and they are allowed that discretion.
Good.
So what Elizabeth Warren is saying is that, hey, Facebook, your track record ain't exactly that great when it comes to protecting us from misinformation.
Maybe you could do a little better here.
Facebook is pushing back and saying, no, we're on the free speech side of things, and so we're going to let you say anything you want as long as it's political speech.
Drives me nuts.
Maybe you could do a little better here.
Facebook is pushing back and saying, no, we're on the free speech side of things, and so we're going to let you say anything you want as long as it's political speech.
Drives me nuts.
It bugs me a little bit because it's a bit clickjacky. So I don't like that aspect of it.
However, I think it's a clever political move to highlight because it seems to be very much in the political sphere at the moment. There's a huge focus on tech, right?
Surveillance, privacy, these are big, big issues right now. And so to call attention to that is an important thing. I mean, that's what we try and do the show for, right?
Get people to pay attention to this stuff. So I'm kind of torn.
However, I think it's a clever political move to highlight because it seems to be very much in the political sphere at the moment. There's a huge focus on tech, right?
Surveillance, privacy, these are big, big issues right now. And so to call attention to that is an important thing. I mean, that's what we try and do the show for, right?
Get people to pay attention to this stuff. So I'm kind of torn.
I mean, you say it's sort of clickjacky, or clickbaity, what she's done, but I think it's just smart, really. If you're going to get people's attention, you need a good headline.
Otherwise people are going to think, oh, it's very, you know, a bit dull, this academic.
Otherwise people are going to think, oh, it's very, you know, a bit dull, this academic.
It's misleading. It's a misleading headline.
But it's not because—
And how many people just read headlines and just carry on?
Yes, but the way Facebook would present it is that you would have the opening paragraph or whatever, which would be visible there. And you would see that it was from her.
There are some folks, for example, over on TechCrunch, they're saying Facebook should ban campaign ads altogether. Just be done with it.
Agree.
Don't allow them at all.
If it refuses to take the responsibilities of a publisher, then what the heck are they doing here?
But right now and for the next year or so, a lot of Facebook's income is going to be coming from these political campaigns, aren't there?
There's going to be a huge amount of advertising being spent, I would think there.
There's going to be a huge amount of advertising being spent, I would think there.
But Carole, I think you hit the nail on the head there when you said they don't want to take responsibility as a publisher.
I suspect Facebook is still making the argument that they are not a publisher, that they are a platform.
I suspect Facebook is still making the argument that they are not a publisher, that they are a platform.
And therefore they're not responsible for any of the content they just said to everyone around the world that has an account.
Their pipe, just the pipe which brings water to us, or indeed which moves the sewage as we shit in our toilets out into the sewers.
That's what Facebook is, and that's what's spreading through Facebook all the time. Fecesbook, as I sometimes mistype it.
Well, I think it's— I mean, regardless of your politics, I think why not use the methods available to get your message out there? She specifically has an issue with Facebook.
Facebook says it's not really a problem. And so she's saying, well, do you have a problem with this?
That's what Facebook is, and that's what's spreading through Facebook all the time. Fecesbook, as I sometimes mistype it.
Well, I think it's— I mean, regardless of your politics, I think why not use the methods available to get your message out there? She specifically has an issue with Facebook.
Facebook says it's not really a problem. And so she's saying, well, do you have a problem with this?
And Trump's using it the same way as well. You know, she's maybe not lied in it, but she lied in a way in the headline because she missed, you know, she was misleading.
And that, I think, hurts the moral high ground that maybe they were going for. I'm just saying, should have played it maybe just a bit more straight up.
And that, I think, hurts the moral high ground that maybe they were going for. I'm just saying, should have played it maybe just a bit more straight up.
I'm just impressed that a 70-year-old presidential candidate or prospective presidential candidate has been able to work out how to run an ad campaign on Facebook.
I think that's quite impressive. Sorry, is that ageist?
I think that's quite impressive. Sorry, is that ageist?
Oh, it's a good thing she's not from Liverpool, right?
Yep, she'd never figure out that.
Do we know what her heritage really is? Do we?
Do we?
That might be next. That's true. She might claim to be a Beatle, who knows?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Hey, Mark, stop running all those ads.
Carole, Carole, you know, yes, raise the tone a bit. What have you got for us this week?
Well, we're heading to Tokyo, Japan for a crazy-ass story with some very useful takeaways for all you selfie lovers out there. Now, this story starts with a Mr.
Hibiki Sato and 20-year-old female pop idol. You see, 26-year-old Hibiki Sato is said to be a big, big fan of this pop idol.
Hibiki Sato and 20-year-old female pop idol. You see, 26-year-old Hibiki Sato is said to be a big, big fan of this pop idol.
Ah, you are talking about Ina Matsuoka, I believe, aren't you?
Am I?
Yes, I think you are, because she is a young member.
I think she's about 21, and she's a member of a J-pop group, Japanese pop group called— now excuse me here, Japanese listeners— Tenshi Tusukinyokeni Yomi are the name of the group.
I think she's about 21, and she's a member of a J-pop group, Japanese pop group called— now excuse me here, Japanese listeners— Tenshi Tusukinyokeni Yomi are the name of the group.
So that's it. Quote, "avid fan" is how local Japanese news reports described his feelings for this pop star, right?
And on September 1st, he finally got the chance to meet her as she headed home from the train station.
Now, how would you guys expect a fan to behave upon meeting their celeb pop idol, the person they adore the most?
And on September 1st, he finally got the chance to meet her as she headed home from the train station.
Now, how would you guys expect a fan to behave upon meeting their celeb pop idol, the person they adore the most?
Hello, I listen to the podcast all the time.
Is this what you expect people to do to you?
No, no, that's when they meet you. They love you.
No, I've never had anyone breathe like that at me.
Thank God.
How did you act when you met, crossed paths once again with Garry Kasparov recently?
Oh yes, we haven't talked about that. Yes, I bumped into Garry Kasparov last week. Marvelous. I was, I was, I kept very cool, but then got incredibly thrashed at chess.
Yes, I will say.
I did manage to get a little weak in the knees. I did. Well, yeah, I always do. I always feel a little bit, you know, if I meet one of my idols.
Well, you might be a little shy, right?
And you might be a little tentative in your approach, and you might say nice things to them or give them something nice or say something nice.
And you might be a little tentative in your approach, and you might say nice things to them or give them something nice or say something nice.
Please come on my podcast. Please come on my podcast, right?
You might beg.
Yes, that's right, I did. Yes.
And maybe Hibiki Sato wanted to do these things but instead ended up arrested for suspicion of indecent behavior. Now, warning, what I'm about to tell you is downright shitty.
Yeah.
So as our pop idol walks home from our local train station, Mr.
Sato allegedly approached her from behind, covered her mouth with a towel, frog marched her back to her condominium in Tokyo, and then he reportedly pulled her down from behind, groped her, and injured her.
Okay, now excuse me, this sounds a little bit more than indecent behavior, doesn't it, to you? It's assault. There's kidnapping, holding her against her will in her own home.
Sato allegedly approached her from behind, covered her mouth with a towel, frog marched her back to her condominium in Tokyo, and then he reportedly pulled her down from behind, groped her, and injured her.
Okay, now excuse me, this sounds a little bit more than indecent behavior, doesn't it, to you? It's assault. There's kidnapping, holding her against her will in her own home.
Can you imagine? How horrific would that be? Just horrendous.
Well, and is there no one who sees this man leading this woman with his hand over her mouth that would intervene?
Well, right. So I was wondering, how did Mr. Sato find this pop idol? And how did he know where she lived? Right? And the answer will literally blow you away.
Well, actually, not the short answer. The short answer is social media.
But how he got her private details from her public posts beggars belief, because there's no mention of hacking involved here, right?
He didn't socially engineer her password out of her or anything like that, but he did make use of her public social media profiles. You know, get this, Dave.
He studied her public photographs for selfies. Now selfies are actually kind of great because they're often close-ups, right?
So the surroundings that might give away your location can be kind of easily hidden by your gob or your hair or whatever.
Well, actually, not the short answer. The short answer is social media.
But how he got her private details from her public posts beggars belief, because there's no mention of hacking involved here, right?
He didn't socially engineer her password out of her or anything like that, but he did make use of her public social media profiles. You know, get this, Dave.
He studied her public photographs for selfies. Now selfies are actually kind of great because they're often close-ups, right?
So the surroundings that might give away your location can be kind of easily hidden by your gob or your hair or whatever.
Your ears.
Your ears.
Some people's faces, yes.
Now in this case, there doesn't seem to have been any background, just a headshot. But she had this curious reflection in her eye, Dave.
It's he could learn something more about her, something hidden. CSI, magnify, enhance, enhance. He zoomed in on the selfie.
It's he could learn something more about her, something hidden. CSI, magnify, enhance, enhance. He zoomed in on the selfie.
On screen.
And what's this? He says, he wonders, he looks at the reflection, he tries to reverse it, right? And suddenly sees it's a train station. So what's our buddy do?
He hits the Google Maps and tracks down the exact station based on its appearance. From the reflection in her eyes.
He hits the Google Maps and tracks down the exact station based on its appearance. From the reflection in her eyes.
I can see it in your eyes. I can see it in your smile.
That is not a stalker song, okay? It is. I'm really upset with you that you keep bringing this up. It's not a stalker song. It's a love song.
It's one of the greatest love songs of all time. And you're destroying it, and it's not fair.
It's one of the greatest love songs of all time. And you're destroying it, and it's not fair.
Mr. Adams, Mr. Adams, come see what's happening in art class.
I wouldn't do this to one of your top songs. So our guy looks at the other public pics she has on her social media and is able to figure out where she lives using Street View again.
And it must have been really useful because he reportedly looked at how she positioned her curtains and how the light shone through her windows in her pictures to find her house.
And it must have been really useful because he reportedly looked at how she positioned her curtains and how the light shone through her windows in her pictures to find her house.
I mean, okay, this guy is obviously a creep and unpleasant and, you know, something needs to happen to him. But at the same time, really clever, right?
If you wanted to get information about someone, if you wanted to know—
If you wanted to get information about someone, if you wanted to know—
I'm just marvelling at every single nefarious act that we talked about this week.
If you were a detective, for instance, and you were trying to find a criminal and they'd posted up their pictures, then this kind of thing— looking at their curtains and the line of the light— I mean, it's clearly obsessive, but— What do you think?
But at the same time, it's quite remarkable, isn't it? That all of that can be got from a picture. I mean, we've heard about—
But at the same time, it's quite remarkable, isn't it? That all of that can be got from a picture. I mean, we've heard about—
Yeah, these were videos from inside her apartment, right? She has videos in her public, you know, from inside and thinking probably this is safe.
You know, this is not giving away— this is not giving away any geolocation information. My curtains are closed. There's no landmarks outside.
You know, this is not giving away— this is not giving away any geolocation information. My curtains are closed. There's no landmarks outside.
Yeah.
Yeah, I have seen this sort of thing where if someone's broadcasting live, so you know the precise time of day, you can align that with the angle of the sun coming in, the shadows being cast.
You can know within a certain degree of accuracy where someone is based on— you can reverse engineer the angles and it can help you figure out a location.
You can know within a certain degree of accuracy where someone is based on— you can reverse engineer the angles and it can help you figure out a location.
Are you saying that all America had to do for all those years was say to Osama bin Laden, 'Do you mind getting on Skype with us?' or something like that.
And they could have then found out where he was.
And they could have then found out where he was.
Who's to say that's not how they did it, Graham?
Anyway, right, back to me. So this whole story has— is it kind of a one-in-a-million situation for me, or one-in-10-million situation?
So I don't think we should live in fear that they know that we're all at risk now of everyone deep diving into each of our photos that we might have.
But I think there's a few things that we can take away, you know, that there's a few teaching moments here.
One is, you know, make sure your profile is private and think about what you put on your online, you know, your open profile. I think your story, Graham, talked to that as well.
So I don't think we should live in fear that they know that we're all at risk now of everyone deep diving into each of our photos that we might have.
But I think there's a few things that we can take away, you know, that there's a few teaching moments here.
One is, you know, make sure your profile is private and think about what you put on your online, you know, your open profile. I think your story, Graham, talked to that as well.
But these are celebrities, aren't they? Part of it is maintaining their image through social media.
Yeah, no, but there's— so there are things that we can take away for those of us that don't make a living by getting our name out there, right? There's things that they can do.
So one would be to lock down your public profile and to think about what's there.
The Japanese newspaper that was reporting on this story advised people not to make V signs with their hands, as Japanese people apparently often do in photos, because fingerprints could be stolen.
So isn't this great that we have so many megapixels now that someone can magnify our exact fingerprint?
So one would be to lock down your public profile and to think about what's there.
The Japanese newspaper that was reporting on this story advised people not to make V signs with their hands, as Japanese people apparently often do in photos, because fingerprints could be stolen.
So isn't this great that we have so many megapixels now that someone can magnify our exact fingerprint?
You can turn your two fingers the other way around, like we, the English do.
Yeah, like we do in English do.
Yes, exactly.
Right.
Maybe that's the thing we need to kick off again.
Do they do that in Liverpool? Good, good.
There was a thing, I don't know, a couple years ago where someone demonstrated that with a high-quality DSLR, you could take a picture of someone's hand and get their fingerprints.
You remember that one?
There was a thing, I don't know, a couple years ago where someone demonstrated that with a high-quality DSLR, you could take a picture of someone's hand and get their fingerprints.
You remember that one?
That's right.
Yeah.
Happened with a German politician, I think, wasn't it? It was the Berlin Computer Club who did that. Extraordinary.
But to your point, Clue, right? If you're a public profile, it gets a lot tougher. Our voices are out there, and there's videos of us doing talks and panels and whatnot.
And so how, as a public figure, do you keep yourself—
And so how, as a public figure, do you keep yourself—
But Carole, even if you're not a public figure, right, if you are in a relationship and it goes sour and you had an abusive partner or something and they wanted to know where you had now moved to, then potentially they could find a selfie of you or something and be able to— Maybe what we need is some system.
I mean, it sounds crazy. Maybe we should have something which anonymizes the pupil of your eye.
Maybe you should be able to run a filter just you run an Instagram filter to make you look a cat.
I mean, it sounds crazy. Maybe we should have something which anonymizes the pupil of your eye.
Maybe you should be able to run a filter just you run an Instagram filter to make you look a cat.
Just wear sunglasses, Graham. Could be easier.
Bono, right? You could do that. But what if you're wearing mirrored sunglasses? That's not gonna work so well, is it? That's gonna be the opposite. It's gonna be even worse.
What about red eye? Remember, we used to have this problem with everyone's eyes being red and looking vampires. That would be the fix. We need to bring that back.
What about red eye? Remember, we used to have this problem with everyone's eyes being red and looking vampires. That would be the fix. We need to bring that back.
Bring back red eye. Boom.
It reminds me there's a scene in the movie Top Gun where Thom Cruise is wearing mirrored sunglasses and you can see the entire film crew reflected in his glasses. It's wonderful.
This week, there was some show somewhere of surveillance clothing, so anti-surveillance clothing.
I think one of them had almost a face mask that was not shaped a face, almost a bee helmet made of some kind of plastic.
And to try and change your facial shape, and it would also reflect light upon photography or however the camera was taking the shot.
I think one of them had almost a face mask that was not shaped a face, almost a bee helmet made of some kind of plastic.
And to try and change your facial shape, and it would also reflect light upon photography or however the camera was taking the shot.
I think there was some suggestion they might use this sort of thing in Hong Kong as well, where obviously there are lots of protests going on at the moment.
So obviously in this case, this guy was a freaking nut job, right?
But I think maybe more normal people, people towards the middle of the normal spectrum, might get themselves into a place where they might have stalkery behavior a little bit, right?
They may not know though. I wonder if a stalker knows they're being stalkery. Do they need a checklist? They have that for drinkers, right? Do you drink more than twice a week?
Do you enjoy drinking? Do you drink alone?
But I think maybe more normal people, people towards the middle of the normal spectrum, might get themselves into a place where they might have stalkery behavior a little bit, right?
They may not know though. I wonder if a stalker knows they're being stalkery. Do they need a checklist? They have that for drinkers, right? Do you drink more than twice a week?
Do you enjoy drinking? Do you drink alone?
You answering for yourself here, or what?
Well, to that question, do you want to drink alone, you might say, oh, sometimes, or on occasion. Surely that is understood in the question.
It's not you're drinking every single time you're alone.
It's not you're drinking every single time you're alone.
Do you find yourself zooming into photos of your favorite podcast hosts far more than—
Yes, looking in their tiny, tiny eyes, their beady little dark, soulless eyes, right, staring back at me, right?
Rude.
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Okay, so it turns out that we are all bad people. Well, not all of us. Most of us though, because 60% of employees who quit their jobs admit to taking data.
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To learn more about how you can protect your company from insider threats, visit code42.com/smashingsecurity. Now on with the show.
And welcome back and join us on our favorite part of the show, the part of the show that we like to call Pick of the Week.
For the 150th time, Pick of the Week.
Pick of the Week.
Pick of the Week is the part of the show where everyone chooses something they like.
Could be a funny story, a book that they've read, a TV show, a movie, a record, a podcast, a website, or an app. Whatever they wish. Doesn't have to be security-related necessarily.
Could be a funny story, a book that they've read, a TV show, a movie, a record, a podcast, a website, or an app. Whatever they wish. Doesn't have to be security-related necessarily.
Better not be.
Well, my pick of the week this week is not security-related. Good. I have been a single dad this weekend. My wife is away. I've been looking after my child.
And that means I thought, oh my goodness.
And that means I thought, oh my goodness.
So normally you don't do that, right?
No, no, no. I'm just asking.
You're pointing it out.
Very 1990s. No, I'm very, I'm very, I'm very up to date with these sort of things. And, so I'm very good. But I thought, you know, he may be missing his mum.
And so I thought, well, what can we do to distract him? And I thought, maybe we need to splash out some money on a video game.
And so I thought, well, what can we do to distract him? And I thought, maybe we need to splash out some money on a video game.
That's such a dad move.
Exactly. I thought this will be good for me. It'll occupy him for hours. I can get some work done.
How can I throw money at this problem?
Yeah.
That's, yeah.
Graham doesn't normally, Graham's actually pretty tight with money, actually. He doesn't throw his money around.
Outrageous.
He's not a generous person.
Thank you very much, bro. I think you were trying to back this up.
You're fiscally frugal.
Just, yeah.
What? I'm being complimentary.
I bought a game for the Nintendo Switch called Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.
Ooh.
Now, it was a bit expensive, Carole, to your point. It was astonishingly expensive.
How much was it?
It was £49.99.
Oh, I thought most games were that price.
Oh, really? Oh, no.
Most big games. This is a big game.
I normally try and buy a game for about £4. But anyway, so— See?
To my point, guys. Fiscally frugal.
Exactly. But Ni no Kuni is a Japanese game. It first came out years and years ago for PlayStation 3. It's now available for Windows, PS4, and Switch as well.
And this is the thing which I thought might appeal to you. It's animated by Studio Ghibli, who—
And this is the thing which I thought might appeal to you. It's animated by Studio Ghibli, who—
Oh, I love them!
Yes, they are the people behind My Neighbour Totoro, and Spirited Away. It has a great orchestral soundtrack.
And basically, you are this character, and it's a bit emotional actually at the beginning of the games. First half an hour. Oh, God.
And basically, you are this character, and it's a bit emotional actually at the beginning of the games. First half an hour. Oh, God.
Did you cry in front of your son?
I didn't cry, but he did warn me.
He actually said, because he'd watched videos of the game in the past, and he said, "Dad, something bad's about to happen." So, he put a comforting hand on my knee to get me through it.
Basically, the hero's mother dies. There's a tragic accident.
He actually said, because he'd watched videos of the game in the past, and he said, "Dad, something bad's about to happen." So, he put a comforting hand on my knee to get me through it.
Basically, the hero's mother dies. There's a tragic accident.
And nice game to get while his mum's away.
Yes, indeed. Well, that's— I didn't know all this. I didn't know all this.
Jesus. You see, Dave, honestly.
Anyway, he goes into a parallel universe.
Please, please just tell me whatever's going on, your wife is not vacationing in Liverpool.
Jeez. Anyway, you gain a little gang and you go on fights and adventures, but the whole thing is like an animated cartoon. You know, not just the cutscenes. Where's the money?
It's the question we need to know.
I think it is. I mean, I think, oh, okay, it is a lot of money, but then you think, well, how much do you spend at a restaurant?
And you will get, I will get so many hours of childcare in through this.
And you will get, I will get so many hours of childcare in through this.
And how long does it take you to eat, right?
Exactly. It only takes 2 minutes to eat something, but it just takes— Whoa! That would explain a lot of things.
Anyway, so my pick of the week is Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and I will put a link to the trailer in the show notes so you can check it out yourself.
But I thought this is quite good, quite good, right? Yeah, liked it. Dave, what's your pick of the week?
Anyway, so my pick of the week is Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and I will put a link to the trailer in the show notes so you can check it out yourself.
But I thought this is quite good, quite good, right? Yeah, liked it. Dave, what's your pick of the week?
Well, my pick of the week is something I selected because this show, it's not just educational, it's kind of a cultural exchange, right?
I mean, I come on this show and you teach me all sorts of things about football and Liverpool.
I mean, I come on this show and you teach me all sorts of things about football and Liverpool.
Wags.
Yes, and all sorts of wags. I come away learning all sorts of interesting things.
So when this YouTube video came across my algorithmically created list of YouTube videos, I said, this is the one for Smashing Security.
And it's called Funny English Idioms and Why We Say Them.
Gentleman named Jules who leads us around London and explains why we say certain— or why you say certain things that you do.
So I thought, as an American, a Canadian, and an Englishman walk into a bar and learn about funny English idioms, perhaps you particularly, Graham, would enjoy this and perhaps be able to lend your thoughts on this, whether Jules is on to something here or not.
So when this YouTube video came across my algorithmically created list of YouTube videos, I said, this is the one for Smashing Security.
And it's called Funny English Idioms and Why We Say Them.
Gentleman named Jules who leads us around London and explains why we say certain— or why you say certain things that you do.
So I thought, as an American, a Canadian, and an Englishman walk into a bar and learn about funny English idioms, perhaps you particularly, Graham, would enjoy this and perhaps be able to lend your thoughts on this, whether Jules is on to something here or not.
So, okay, I've checked out the video and very entertaining it was too. What idioms were there in the video which we use but you hadn't heard of or were surprised by? Do you remember?
Tits up?
Let's see.
Well, there seemed to be a lot of emphasis on going to the bathroom.
Yes, that is a large part of being British. Yes.
Spending a penny.
Yes. One of them. Yes.
You spend a penny.
Yes, yes.
That sort of thing.
Dropping the kids off at the pool. That kind of thing. Pointing Percy at the porcelain. Yes. That kind of thing.
We also use the phrase, you could hear a pin drop, but it was fun to learn the origin of that one.
That's the interesting thing, isn't it? Because there are these phrases which are used all around the world like that. And this video explained it.
And there was another one which was where the origin of the word tip comes in, as in tipping a waiter, for instance. I never knew that. It's just, oh, that's jolly interesting.
What a wonderful language this is.
And there was another one which was where the origin of the word tip comes in, as in tipping a waiter, for instance. I never knew that. It's just, oh, that's jolly interesting.
What a wonderful language this is.
Stephen Fry's written a book on this as well, on idioms, I think. I can't remember what it's called.
Sent to Coventry. That's— I didn't know that one.
Which one? Say again?
Being sent to Coventry.
I don't even know what that means.
It's when people aren't allowed to talk to you. You send them to Coventry. Or when you— yes, you're sort of banishing them. It's like, I'm not talking to you. Send them to Coventry.
Gosh.
On the wagon. We do use that one here.
Yeah.
Yeah. So this gentleman, Jules, has several videos with these English idioms and they're quite fun. So that is my pick of the week. There you go.
Terrific.
I'll check it out.
Lovely. Nothing better than the English language, is there? I mean, other than— obviously other languages are available. I don't ostracize.
It's like, yeah, best language ever. Do you speak all languages?
Right, right.
I've not tried every language. Carole, what's your pick of the week?
So my pick of the week this week is a movie, Graham, one that I got you to watch for the show.
Yes, you did.
So you can talk about it too. It's called Vice. It stars Christian Bale. It came out earlier this year and I only got to see it last week, however.
So this is a film about the ruthless political force that was former VP Dick Cheney and his rise to power.
And Dick Cheney is played perfectly horridly by Christian Bale in this, as only Christian Bale can be. Yes, yes, as only Christian Bale can be. Yeah, exactly.
It's just, he just— that kind of tense, dark energy something.
And Dick Cheney is played perfectly horridly by Christian Bale in this, as only Christian Bale can be. Yes, yes, as only Christian Bale can be. Yeah, exactly.
It's just, he just— that kind of tense, dark energy something.
So Cheney is a political beast.
I mean, I always knew this, but I think this movie kind of crystallized it a little bit more, ties it together in a way that makes you kind of think, huh.
And he is kind of said to have operated most comfortably in the shadows, right? And this movie certainly highlights that.
I mean, I always knew this, but I think this movie kind of crystallized it a little bit more, ties it together in a way that makes you kind of think, huh.
And he is kind of said to have operated most comfortably in the shadows, right? And this movie certainly highlights that.
So The Guardian— I went and looked back at a few reviews, and they kind of slated it. They gave it a 3 out of 5.
Oh, really?
Yeah. And I disagree. I think the flow of the documentary is curious. And okay, it's a bit jerky, but I kind of like that jerkiness.
It's a bit like being in a car with a novice driver, you know. You pay extra special attention and notice things you wouldn't normally.
It's not really a documentary, it's sort of like a dramatized biography. It's a film, it's a drama, dramatery, docudrama.
It's not really a documentary, it's sort of like a dramatized biography. It's a film, it's a drama, dramatery, docudrama.
You told me, you told me you'd seen this film and you'd quite liked it, and I thought, oh, sounds a bit dry. I thought, is this going to be a worthy sort of biography?
A bit like when Anthony Hopkins did Nixon.
A bit like when Anthony Hopkins did Nixon.
Like the shit I normally listen to, Noam Chomsky stuff, and that sort of dry, boring—
I don't know what you're— Anyway, in fact, it was very funny and very stylishly done.
I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was darn clever at points and totally kept my attention. I thought I didn't fall asleep more than, you know, I knew you wouldn't.
I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was darn clever at points and totally kept my attention. I thought I didn't fall asleep more than, you know, I knew you wouldn't.
I knew you wouldn't. It is funny, it's quirky, and it doesn't paint a very pretty picture of Cheney as a politician. No, I felt it showed him quite well as a father.
And as a husband, I thought he certainly looked— played the part of the family man as far as the—
And as a husband, I thought he certainly looked— played the part of the family man as far as the—
Close to the end. Yeah, he sort of blotted his copybook a little there, didn't he?
But anyway, I'd say check it out if you're into these kind of, you know, political behind-the-scenes stuff. What happened? Here's a viewpoint. Stuff I kind of love. Check out Vice.
It's on Amazon Prime at the moment. And they'll put a link in the show notes.
It's on Amazon Prime at the moment. And they'll put a link in the show notes.
It was very stylish. Really enjoyed it. Yeah, thank you, Carole. Good pick of the week.
Check it out.
Yeah, yeah, do. It's great, it's great.
Give it a thumbs up. Well, that just about wraps it up for this week. Dave, I'm sure lots of our listeners would love to follow you online or find out where you are broadcasting.
They probably already do this, but what's the best way for folks to do that?
They probably already do this, but what's the best way for folks to do that?
Go to thecyberwire.com, and I am also on Twitter @Bittner, B-I-T-T-N-E-R.
So cool just having your surname as an early adopter. Yeah, every time I see Bitdefender, I think that's Dave Bittner. I should have had just Graham Cluley.
You can follow us on Twitter at Smashing Security, no G. Twitter wouldn't allow us to have a G. And you can also join in the conversation about the show on Reddit.
Just look for the Smashing Security subreddit up there.
You can follow us on Twitter at Smashing Security, no G. Twitter wouldn't allow us to have a G. And you can also join in the conversation about the show on Reddit.
Just look for the Smashing Security subreddit up there.
And once again, thanks to this week's Smashing Security sponsors: Immersive Labs, LastPass, and Code42. Their amazing support helps us give you this show for free.
And thank you, lovely listeners and supporters. Check out smashing.com for past episodes, sponsorship details, and info on how to get in touch with us.
And thank you, lovely listeners and supporters. Check out smashing.com for past episodes, sponsorship details, and info on how to get in touch with us.
You said smashing.com rather than Smashing Security.
Oh, I did? Check out smashingsecurity.com for past episodes, sponsorship details, and info on how to get in touch with us.
Until next time, cheerio, bye-bye. Bye.
So long.
Farewell.
Auf Wiedersehen. Goodbye. We're not going to do that again.
So I just have to write an apology to the people of Liverpool now because I feel like I've—
I think, yeah, they're definitely not going to give you the key to the city.
I think Liverpool has— there's some marvelous people who've come from Liverpool, right? Obviously, John Paul George and Ringo. Ken Dodd came from Liverpool.
And it's a super cool city.
And it's a super cool city.
And you—
Have you ever been there, Carole?
No, no, of course I freaking have.
Have you? I haven't. Really?
Oh, well, why are you bitching about it?
I'm not bitching about it. I have not said anything negative about them. All I've said—
Guys, just forgive him, he talks out of his ass.
Well, that's charming, but true. Do you get this kind of abuse on your podcast, Dave?
He wishes for it, right?
That's like that joke. I don't come here for this abuse. Oh, where do you usually go?
Yeah.
Further reading: “Reflected hidden faces in photographs revealed in pupil”, a research paper from 2013.
There are so many digital filters nowadays and celebs use them routinely to beautify social pictures. Anyone know if there's one that retouches corneas and as a side-effect removes this risk?
Horrific, but astounding that it can be done. Getting closer every day to the "pan, zoom, enhance…" scene in the movie "Blade Runner" .. from 1982