Thought-provoking Things Worth Sharing - Issue #161
We need to talk about the business implications to what the UK is asking Apple to do with iCloud.
If you haven’t seen the news lately, the UK has demanded that Apple create a backdoor for law enforcement to access iCloud data. Apple responded by disabling encryption for all users in the UK.
I agree with what Bruce says, and since he’s a well-respected authority on cybersecurity, I recommend you read it:
An iCloud Backdoor Would Make Our Phones Less Safe.
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. For each issue, I’ll share information about careers and workplace culture, mental health in the workplace, talent development, and important information about privacy, security, and legal tech.
You can find out all about me here - Mike McBride Online.
This issue occasionally arises, and it always boils down to end-user privacy versus law enforcement’s desire to surveil everything and everyone.
I think we’re forgetting something. Remember all those businesses that have legal requirements to protect data? Creating encryption backdoors puts them at risk, too. Maybe not many large corporations are storing confidential data in iCloud, but I bet a lot of small businesses are. I bet freelance workers hired by some of those large corporations are storing client data in various cloud storage services, expecting the service provider to do everything possible to keep it safe. Rolling back end-to-end encryption isn’t doing that.
I’ve been disappointed by the relative silence of companies that depend on encryption in this debate. Allowing encryption backdoors means no one has more to lose than the financial, healthcare, and legal industries. They need encryption; it’s fundamental to doing business in those fields.
Backdoors get hacked. There’s no “safe” way to allow someone to break encryption. Breakable is breakable, and it’s no longer safe. If your business relies on data being protected, the thought of an encryption backdoor should make you apopleptic.
Why isn’t it?
Careers and the Workplace
Linked - Charting the Value of Remote Work: Would You Take a Pay Cut?
I might negotiate a slightly lower salary to remain a remote worker, but if I can work without needing that negotiation, why wouldn't I?
So, companies that see this research and consider paying remote workers less might want to keep that in mind. Your top performers might get recruited from under you by companies who value work wherever it gets done.
Linked - Supercharge Your Networking With Newsletters, Blogs, and Podcasts
I haven't started a podcast, though. That might be a bit too far for this introvert. But I've been a guest on a few, and I'm always open to being a guest on yours. Those connections can prove invaluable in the era of mass layoffs. I'm thankful to everyone who reads and shares my words with their network. That's how the community gets built, and we are all better with a community of smart people around us willing to share their knowledge and connections.
Related:
Artificial Intelligence
Linked - ‘Give Us Legal AI, Or We’re Leaving’ – Survey
The hype around AI has reached levels we've never seen before. Even skeptics of how well AI works must acknowledge that most professionals are aware of AI tools and curious enough to try them out. Do those efforts match the hype? Likely not, but the fact that AI is everywhere they look right now, except at work, tells them a lot about the firm they are working in. It's not what they want to see from their firm.
Firms seem to be running out of excuses to prevent their employees from using AI—AI in Law Firms: Ethics Committees Are Clearing the Path Forward.
This is dangerous, and we haven’t even begun to figure out what to do about it: It's Almost Impossible to Spot Deepfakes Now... as This Quiz Proves.
On the other hand, The Hidden Cost of AI: Energy, Water, and the Sustainability Challenge.
Also, this is interesting: Microsoft's Satya Nadella Pumps the Brakes on AI Hype.
Training and Development
I’ll admit that I’ve been feeling this. It’s hard not to when we live in the AI hype world. - How L&D Professionals Can Combat Learning Fatigue in the Workplace.
I want to take a moment to talk to all the people dealing with layoffs. It’s rough out there, and you’ll hear a lot of advice about job searching and continuing to learn during this time. That is all true. I’m not going to offer more guidance. This isn’t LinkedIn. 😉
What I can offer is a gift subscription to the M365 Newsletter. If layoffs have impacted you, send me a note (mike@mikemcbrideonline.com) if learning more about M365, eDiscovery, Copilot, etc., would benefit you for the next few months. If you know someone to whom this applies, share the information with them. I’m happy to give you access to all of the paid subscriber information to help you learn more about the deep bowels of M365 Purview.
I’m working on creating more features for paid subscribers in the next few months, in addition to the semi-weekly newsletters, so this is a good time to get access.
Mental Health in the Workplace
I wrote about this in the tech industry last year. Now, we’re seeing it play out in the public sector: Mental health issues ripple through the federal workforce with firings.
Related:
Could I convince employers just to let people grab a nap mid-day? Seriously, get some rest.
I don’t know if it’s impossible, but it’s getting more complicated. - How HR Leaders Are Navigating the ‘Impossible’ to Build Mentally Healthier Workplaces.
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
Building a Community Privacy Plan
This is a good article, but I want to share this bit specifically:
For example, the more people use Signal, the less those seeking reproductive health care or coordinating a protest would stand out by downloading it. So, beyond protecting just your communications, you’re building up a user base that can protect others who use encrypted, secure services and give them the shield of a crowd.
Just my opinion, but maybe M365 Permissions are Too Complicated
I'd love to see Microsoft make these roles more efficient, but I also understand that the M365 environment is so complex and multifaceted that you need to accommodate people who need to wear many different hat iterations. If anything, these roles should remind us just how significant this environment is and how much know-how it takes to manage efficiently.
This is by design. They know precisely what they are doing at Meta and X. - How new Facebook policies incentivize spreading misinformation.
That’s all, folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put in each week to share this with you.