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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 4, 2017)
OPINION 6A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017 Founded in 1873 DAVID F. PERO, Publisher & Editor LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager OUR VIEW Online privacy takes a wallop from Congress C ongress did American consumers a great disservice last week when it dismantled an online privacy regulation that would have prevented internet service providers such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from selling the browsing habits and other information about their customers. The move came in a bill sent to President Donald Trump that will kill a Federal Communications Commission rule that was issued in October and was designed to give consumers greater control over how internet service providers share information. The rule was scheduled to go into effect later this year, and the deci- sion essentially reverts to the status quo rather than giving con- sumers additional protections that the Obama administration sought before leaving office. The decision was decried by consumer groups and Privacy Democrats but lauded by experts most Republicans and tele- com companies. The 215-205 recommend vote in the House, though, was consumers closer than many expected thoroughly with 15 Republicans sid- ing with the Democrats in familiarize the failed effort to keep the themselves rule in place. The Senate had already voted to repeal it and with the Trump is expected to sign the privacy bill despite the American Civil Liberties Union’s populist policy of appeals for a presidential veto. their ISP and Opponents of the rule specifically try argued that ISPs like Comcast and AT&T should not face opt out of data more stringent privacy rules collection. than online companies such as Facebook and Google, which collect user information and generate billions of dollars selling it. Privacy proponents, however, countered that ISPs are far dif- ferent because they have access to users’ full web browsing hab- its, what devices and applications they use, their online locations along with their physical addresses, their financial information and even whom they exchange emails with. That robust amount of information is particularly useful for marketers to craft highly-tar- geted ads, which is part of the fundamental business model of many online companies. With the repeal, Internet providers won’t be required to notify customers they collect data about or even ask permission beyond a user’s initial approval of the terms of service agreement. As a result, many people may not even realize their patterns and pro- files are being brokered. So what steps should online users and consumers take? Privacy experts recommend consumers thoroughly familiarize themselves with the privacy policy of their ISP and specifically try opt out of data collection. Another potential option is to use a Virtual Private Network, which provides private end-to-end internet connections and are typically used to keep out snoops when using public Wi-Fi. There are free and paid-for VPN providers, but they are also in a posi- tion to track online activities. Choosing a trustworthy provider, as Wired.com points out, can be a “tricky thing to confirm.” Additionally, VPN privacy protections are limited because once a user logs into a website like Netflix or Amazon, those sites track users’ activities so they can suggest tailored products and services. According to Nuala O’Connor, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a non-profit digital rights group, the best course of action for those concerned about what’s collected about them is to practice “digital privacy hygiene” by giving as little information as possible when doing things online, to minimize the digital footprint available to companies. Importantly, if there was any question before, consumers should now know that Congress isn’t on the side of their online privacy protection. WHERE TO WRITE • U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D): 2338 Rayburn HOB, Washington, D.C., 20515. Phone: 202- 225-0855. Fax 202-225-9497. District office: 12725 SW Millikan Way, Suite 220, Beaverton, OR 97005. Phone: 503-469-6010. Fax 503- 326-5066. Web: bonamici.house. gov/ • U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D): 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-3753. Web: www.merk- ley.senate.gov • U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D): 221 Dirksen Senate Office Build- ing, Washington, D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Web: www.wyden.senate.gov SOUTHERN EXPOSURE Seismometer gives early warning of ground motion By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian W ho do you call when you need to upgrade a seismometer? That’s easy: the Pacific North- west Seismic Network, a part- ner of the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon among others. The Seaside seismometer is one of many along the coast of Oregon and Washington state to provide the ShakeAlert early warning sys- tem. Hidden in an equipment room in the back of the R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Seaside Museum and Historical Lynn Simmons of the U.S. Geological Survey works with the Pacific North- Society, the seismometer may have west Seismic Network to install this seismometer in the Seaside Museum. a crucial role in history of its own in the not-so-distant future. in Seaside in March equipped “A seismometer is an instrument with tools, wires and equipment to that detects ground motion in the upgrade the original seismometer form of acceleration of the ground at the museum, installed in 2004. itself,” the University of Oregon’s All were affiliated with the Pacific field technician and ShakeAlert Northwest Seismic Network, with Project Manager Leland O’Driscoll headquarters at the University of said. Washington and has operations sup- Is it a predictor? port at the University of Oregon in “Not at all,” O’Driscoll said. Eugene. “Prediction is not cur- In a rear room behind rently feasible by sci- the museum library, geo- ence, so it is strictly an physicist Lynn Sim- observational tool.” mons, research engi- Can seismologists neer Marc Biundo and draw deductions from field technician Brendan the measurements? Pratt upgraded the strong “Yes, that’s the motion accelerometer, point,” he said. “When a sensor that measures we see energy arise acceleration like a speed- that looks like an earth- ometer measures speed. R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian quake, first we confirm This information is fed Members of the Pacific North- Leland that it is. Then we look by the seismometer to a west Seismic Network adjust a O’Driscoll at nearby sensors to have live data feed. GPS antenna outside the Seaside cross-verification. Once we have Outside, standing on a ladder Museum and Historical Society. that, we measure the size and loca- near the back of the museum build- tion of the earthquake’s epicenter.” ing, field technician Sara Meyer original communications director worked with outreach coordinator knew Seaside’s city planner at the Lindsey Walsh to upgrade the unit’s time, O’Driscoll said. “It was chosen Early warning global positioning satellite. The ShakeAlert program began because there’s internet access on Data is filtered by sensors that in 2006 and first sent alerts to test site, there’s a quiet room on the side compare results of other seismom- of the building, and there’s a need to users in 2012. eters to determine if shaking is due have a sensor in Seaside.” When ShakeAlert detects a to an earthquake or some other fac- quake, a map pops up on a user’s Costs to complete the earthquake tor, like a jackhammer or truck. early warning system are estimated screen to show the location of the If sensors respond all along the at $36 million, O’Driscoll said, and epicenter and of waves moving coast, “We know we have an earth- an additional $16 million for ongo- toward the user. Also shown is the quake,” O’Driscoll said. ing operations. time remaining until waves reach If sensors are to be installed on the user’s location and an estimate of the intensity of shaking. Network growth the ocean bottom or offshore, “we’re “We can provide an advance The network started at Univer- looking at the order of $200 million sity of Washington in the 1970s. to $300 million,” he said. warning that earthquake will be arriving at a remote location during After the Mount St. Helens erup- “I’d like the public to know an event,” O’Driscoll said. “What tion in 1980, the network “dramat- we’re building out a system that ically expanded,” O’Driscoll said. will build out the resiliency to lead this will facilitate is a warning to a user that they can have tens of Now there’s a seismometer every to earthquake preparedness in the seconds or minutes before ground 20 miles from southern Oregon state,” O’Driscoll said. “As soon to the northern Washington bor- as we learn what to do with this motion actually starts.” If it happened here, we wouldn’t der. In Cannon Beach, a seismom- advance warning for a quake, we have much time. But if it happened eter is stored in an IT room at the can take effective actions to reduce in the Northern California region, firehouse. the loss of life and reduce the loss of O’Driscoll said, we’d have roughly Locations are “very tricky,” property and damage.” 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to react. Biundo said. “Where’s the power? While we live in a hazardous This early warning — although Where’s the signal? How do you region, the programs offer steps to get the electrical energy to power hardly enough time to make a run living in a safer and more resilient it?” for it — could be life-saving if region. broadcast to hospitals, building In case of a power outage, a Meanwhile, the team is looking four-day battery accompanies the operations teams and other critical to expand the network. personnel. installation. “We go as fast as we can,” “The concept of 10 seconds of For decades now the network has O’Driscoll said. “There’s a series advance ground motion is daunt- tracked seismicity, including tectonic of stages. Finding good viable loca- ing when thinking what can I do,” earthquakes generated by faults and tions, permits, going through the Cascadia Subduction Zone quakes O’Driscoll said. “But when you avenues, all the prep — we can think of multiple minutes, you where the fault zone is offshore. put in a dozen new sensors a year. have more options. Hospitals can Seismometers charted the 1993 We have a goal of 15 to 20 sensors Salem “Spring Break Quake” and say ‘stop surgery.’ An elevator this year to reach our final goal of can open its doors before ground the 6.8 magnitude Nisqually Quake density.” motion.” of 2001 in the southern Puget Sound R.J. Marx is The Daily Astori- region. an’s South County reporter and edi- The Seaside site was chosen by Upgrade tor of the Seaside Signal and Cannon O’Driscoll and his team arrived the University of Washington. The Beach Gazette.