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Google is already receiving demands from people to remove links from its search results just days after Europe’s highest court said people worried about their privacy have the “right to be forgotten” on the Internet.

The European Court of Justice on Tuesday found Google and other search engines control information and are responsible for removing unwanted links if requested. In the ruling, the court decided that Google results linking to a newspaper’s notice about a Spanish man’s social security debts in 1998 were no longer relevant and must be deleted.

Google can, however, decline requests the company believes are in the public interest to remain in its search results.

Google declined to say how many people have requested information to be taken down as a result of the ruling. But some of the people who have requested that Google remove unsavory Web pages about them demonstrate the murky situation Google finds itself in: A politician, a poorly reviewed doctor and a pedophile are among the first to have issued take-down requests.

A person with knowledge of the requests said a man convicted of possession of child pornography has requested that Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) remove links to Web pages about his conviction. A former politician has also requested that the search engine remove links to a news article about his behavior while he was holding office. And a physician has requested that links to a review site be removed.

Google has not yet taken the links down. The company said it first needs to develop a procedure to handle a potential flood of requests for removal.

“The ruling has significant implications for how we handle take-down requests,” a Google spokesman said. “This is logistically complicated — not least because of the many languages involved and the need for careful review. As soon as we have thought through exactly how this will work, which may take several weeks, we will let our users know.”

Google is used to handling take-down requests. The search engine said it received more than 25 million requests from companies claiming Google results linked to material that infringes on copyrights. Google also receives thousands of requests from governments to take down links to websites that violate laws. Google complies with fewer than half of the government take-down requests but does not specify its compliance rate for copyright-related requests.

But copyright and many other laws are considerably clearer-cut that the test of “relevance to public interest,” which Google will now need to abide by in the European Union.

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When Google Glass started shipping out to early testers, privacy advocates were worried about the gadget’s face camera. Google Glass, they warned, represented a disconcerting new way for wearers to snap secret photos of anyone they were looking at.

Recently, however, two fully funded crowdsourced projects have proved that the humble iPhone can be just as secretive for sneaky snaps. The gadgets, called COVR Photo and the Peek-I, are both shipping soon, and both make taking a photo on your iPhone without your subject noticing a breeze.

All right. So maybe just wanting to sneak pictures of the cute guy sitting across the coffee shop from you isn’t quite an NSA-level invasion. And, truth be told, both of these so-called “spy cams” are pretty nifty extensions of the iPhone’s camera.

COVR Photo is an iPhone camera case developed in part by award-winning photojournalist Thomas Hurst. The case, made for the iPhone 5 and 5s, features a “periscoping lens.” That means you can position the phone flat in your hand to candidly snap pictures without interrupting “the uniqueness of what is unfolding before you,” as Hurst explains on the device’s Kickstarter page.

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WHITING, Ind. – There is a nationwide push to enable cell phone users to reach 911 through text messages. While officials say that calling is still the best option, they recognize three distinct situations in which texting 911 is a crucial ability. The first is if the person in need is speech or hearing impaired. The second is if you are experiencing a medical emergency that makes speech difficult or impossible, such as a stroke. The third is if you are in a situation in which speaking would endanger your safety or life.

Emergency phone calls go directly to a 911 center, but soon residents of LaPorte County, Indiana, will have the ability to text 911.

Indiana’s 911 director says 75 to 80 percent of all 911 calls come from a cell phone, which is why texting will soon be an option.

Right now, Lake, Newton and Jasper counties do not have the ability to send or receive texts from 911. According to state 911 officials, Lake County is working on a consolidated 911 center and should have the texting capability by the end of the year.

If you’re in Porter County, you can only receive texts 911. LaPorte County, however, will soon be online for receiving and sending texts to 911. And this is how it works.

Texters send their messages to 911. About 15-20 seconds later, the text message pops up in the 911 center, and the dispatcher types a reply. It does take longer than a phone call.

“Phone calls are still the best,” said Mike Gorbett, a 911 dispatcher. “They’ll give us the best information and the best location of where you’re at.”

Right now, Verizon Wireless is the first company to provide this service. T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T have voluntarily committed to provide service as well.

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s effort to use body cameras – which can record officers’ interactions with civilians – is getting a $250,000 boost from a foundation that supports CMPD initiatives.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation’s donation would bring the total amount allotted for cameras to $500,000 and will fund hundreds of them. The devices can be clipped to glasses, a collar or other parts of an officer’s uniform to provide video and audio of routine traffic stops, arrests and other interactions where conflicts can happen.

Police and civil liberties advocates say the cameras can give police and the public a better view of what happens during conflicts involving officers. In a pilot camera program last year, people who knew they were being recorded behaved better, officers said.

Last month, City Council approved buying enough cameras for about two divisions. The council would still have to approve a contract for the cameras, which would be funded by $250,000 of drug asset forfeiture money.

It’s still unclear how much each camera would cost. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Maj. Steve Willis, who heads the camera program, has said $250,000 would be enough to equip two of the department’s 13 patrol divisions. Ultimately, officers on different shifts might have to share cameras.

The cameras add to a growing focus on technology in the department, which already has access to hundreds of stationary cameras mounted on streetlights and telephone poles across the city. The department also uses Shot Spotter microphones to track gunfire in some areas of the city and tracks some crime suspects out on bond by satellite via GPS bracelets attached to their ankles.

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Junior Metelus’ luck ran out long before police dogs bit and pulled him from beneath a shed early Tuesday.

Everywhere the armed-robbery suspect tried to hide, Orlando cops followed.

A stolen iPhone in his pocket — snatched at gunpoint from a victim near Lake Eola Park — pinpointed wherever he went with his alleged accomplices.

After the 3 a.m. robbery, police used the Find My iPhone app to track him down, Officer Joseph Catanzaro wrote in a report.

“The phone was initially located in the area of Lee Road and Interstate 4,” his report said. “The phone continued tracking westbound … I relayed the phone’s positioning over my department radio to assisting units.”

A chase began when a police car with flashing emergency lights pulled behind the suspects’ stolen Honda Accord. The suspects abandoned the car on North Pine Hills Road and ran through nearby apartment complexes. Two got away, but Metelus, 19, was found trying to hide under a shed with the stolen iPhone, police said.

Police also recovered drivers licenses, credit cards and other items taken in the robbery, records state.

Metelus was treated afterward at a local hospital before being booked at the Orange County Jail.

Similar recoveries of stolen iPhones across the U.S. have become increasingly common in recent years.

The teen, however, may not face trial.

Last month, Metelus was declared incompetent and mentally unable to stand trial in a 2013 burglary case after he was examined by two psychiatrists and treated at an Orlando mental-health facility, court records show. Records show he was first arrested at 14. He was charged as a juvenile with false imprisonment and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Osceola County, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The charges were dismissed. Metelus remains held without bail on charges of robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, grand theft of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest.

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May 8, 2014 (WLS) — Naperville police have completed installation of in-car video systems in 38 of its cars, the department announced Thursday.

The systems, which are already utilized by many DuPage County departments, will record every stop officers make with video and audio footage that can be used as evidence in court, police said.

“This upgrade in technology will have two benefits for our department,” said Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall. “The video and audio can enhance our cases in the courtroom, and it can also enhance our officer’s safety in the field. We will use these videos to visually assess the tactics we are using on the street as well as identify any training gaps for improvement. A project of this magnitude can only be accomplished with a total team effort. I would like to commend the team for their efforts and assistance in making this project a success.”

The $295,970 system is funded through DUI fees and was approved by Naperville’s City Council in October 2013, according to the release.

“This technological advancement will be of great assistance to our officers,” said Naperville Police Commander Jason Arres. “They have always performed their jobs at the highest, most professional level and the incidents that are captured by this system will only further demonstrate this.”

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TOKYO (Reuters) - A 27-year-old Japanese man was arrested on Thursday for illegally possessing handguns made by a three-dimensional printer, media said, marking the first such case in Japan, a country that takes pride in its low crime rate.

Police in April found five plastic guns and a 3D printer at the suspect’s home in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo.

Two of the handguns were later proved capable of killing or wounding people, although no bullets were found at his home, public broadcaster NHK said.

Police also found blueprints for manufacturing guns stored in the suspect’s personal computer. The blueprints were believed to have been downloaded from the Internet, NHK said.

“I made the guns by the 3D printer at home. I did not think it was illegal,” the suspect, a college employee, was quoted by NHK as telling police.

A spokesman at Kanagawa Prefectural Police, which covers Kawasaki, declined to comment.

The suspect has frequently made Twitter entries aimed at justifying possession and manufacturing of guns and once said on the Internet “Gun restrictions are violation of human rights,” NHK said.

Jiji news agency reported the suspect also possessed 10 toy guns.

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Have you just become one of the more than 10 million Americans who fall victim to identity theft every year? Are you wondering what to do now that your identity has been stolen?

If so, don’t panic. You’re going to have to do several things right away, but each will help you put your life back in order, and not taking these steps will only prolong your ordeal.

1. Don’t talk about your identity being stolen.
The first thing you might want to do if you find out your identity has been stolen is to tell all your friends about it. But before you post your misfortune on Facebook or Twitter, keep in mind that letting the world know you’re a victim could make you even more vulnerable to exploitation by identity thieves.

“Advertising that you’re a victim lets other people know that a lot of your information is out there,” said Neil Chase, an expert with the Tempe, Arizona-based identity-protection service LifeLock. “You want to be careful about that.”

Chase said people who have had their identities stolen are more susceptible to online frauds, such as email phishing scams and credit-monitoring scams. Broadcasting that your identity has been stolen might increase your risk of attracting these kinds of fraudulent solicitations.

2. Place a fraud alert on your credit file.
To get your life — and your credit — back in order, you’ll need to take charge in the days and weeks following an identity theft. The first thing to do is to call one of the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion — and request that it place a fraud alert on your credit file. Whichever company you contact will notify the other two credit bureaus about the alert.

If you place a fraud alert on your file, businesses must then verify your identity before issuing credit in your name. This means you’ll get a call if a criminal uses your name to open a fraudulent account.

While you have the credit bureau on the phone, make sure the contact information on your credit file is up to date. You can renew the initial fraud alert on your account for free after 90 days.

There’s also a fourth, lesser-known credit bureau that you may want to contact when placing a fraud alert on your file — Innovis. This company keeps track of credit information that the big three don’t bother with, such as utility bills and cellphone payments. Issuing an alert with Innovis could prevent a lot of headaches for identity-theft victims.

3. Request a credit freeze.
If you’re truly worried about your credit or have a lot of assets to protect, consider placing a freeze on your credit file. Freezing your credit will make it even more difficult for identity thieves to open up new accounts or access credit in your name. You will still be able to open legitimate lines of credit even when your credit file is frozen.

To freeze your credit, you’ll need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually. Report that your identity has been stolen and that you’d like to freeze your credit. You’ll likely need to pay a fee to each bureau, which is determined by state law but typically costs between $3 and $11.

While fraud alerts need to be renewed every 90 days, credit freezes make your credit report inaccessible to creditors (and criminals) for much longer — usually until you decide to lift the freeze on your file.

4. Request your credit reports.
Now is the time to assess the damage done to your credit by identity thieves. To begin the process, request a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Placing a fraud alert on your file entitles you to a free report, but in fact every U.S. resident is allowed one free annual report from each credit agency.

Once you have your credit report in hand, you can begin setting things to rights. To dispute any errors you find on your credit reports (such as accounts you didn’t open or erroneous personal information), first create an identity-theft report (see the next step) and then write to each of the three credit reporting companies explaining the errors.

You’ll also need to contact the fraud departments of each business that reported a fraudulent transaction on your existing account, as well as each business that reported a new account opened fraudulently in your name.

For an in-depth guide on how to dispute fraudulent charges on your accounts, see the FTC’s online tutorial on dealing with identity theft.

5. Create an identity-theft report.
Disputing fraudulent charges and accounts will be much easier if you’ve put together an identity-theft report. To create an identity-theft report, you’ll first need to submit a formal complaint to the FTC detailing the theft.

With your FTC identity-theft affidavit in hand, you can next file a police report in the municipality where you reside, or where the theft took place. The police report and affidavit together comprise your identity-theft report and will aid in the battles that may come. Having a theft report will also enable you to place an extended fraud alert on your credit, which will last for seven years instead of the requisite 90 days.

6. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Anyone who has had her identity stolen won’t want to repeat the experience. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to prevent your identity from being stolen again. Chase said one of the easiest ways to do this is to cut back on paper documentation of your personal information.

Chase’s advice? Stop receiving paper account statements in the mail and instead opt to view information about your various accounts online. If you do receive paper statements, shred them before throwing them in the trash.

Also keep in mind that going over your bank statements and credit reports with a fine-toothed comb isn’t an effective way to keep track of your financial accounts in real time. To get a better sense of what’s happening with your accounts, you’ll need to monitor them more frequently than once a billing cycle.

“Watch your accounts online,” Chase advises. “That way if something happens that the bank doesn’t catch, you’re going to catch it sooner than if you wait for a statement or credit report.”

While you’re online, you should also consider strengthening the passwords for your various accounts, particularly online bank accounts and email accounts, where personal and financial information might be stored.

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How private is the data on your cell phone? That was the big question before the Supreme Court last week in a pair of cases, Riley v. California and United States v. Wurie, with the potential for huge consequences for the future of information privacy.

The cases involve a longstanding exception to the Fourth Amendment that permits the police to search items on or near someone they have arrested, no warrant required. The rule was intended to keep officers safe and prevent the destruction of evidence. In recent years, however, the rule has given police free rein to seize and search the devices that store our calls, text messages, e-mails, and troves of other personal data such as our financial history, medical information, and daily movements.

Many of the Justices expressed concern over the disproportionate invasion of privacy, suggesting that a warrant should be required for a cell phone search. But there was another question that caught the Court’s attention: What happens to all that data once the police have it?

It is common practice to copy the contents of device before searching it. But if the police don’t need a warrant to do that, then there is also no judicial check on what happens to that information, how it’s used, or who gets to see it. A warrant requirement would serve two purposes. It would be a bulwark against highly invasive fishing expeditions resembling the “general warrants” so abhorred by the nation’s Founding Fathers. And it would provide a way to limit the sensitive information that the government is allowed to keep and share about you.

The retention of cell phone data raises extraordinary privacy concerns above and beyond whatever visual inspection a police officer might need to conduct on the spot. In the Riley case, for example, a San Diego detective admitted to downloading “a lot of stuff” from the cell phone at a regional computer forensics lab run by the FBI. The lab gave local police access to sophisticated forensics technology capable of making mirror copies of data stored on electronic devices.

An amicus brief filed by the Brennan Center for Justice points out that this kind of sophisticated data extraction is not unusual. It is a law enforcement tactic that has become increasingly popular around the country. Since 1999, the FBI has partnered with local law enforcement agencies to establish a network of forensic computer labs in 19 states. When it comes to cell phone data, these laboratories provide local police access to “Cell Phone Investigative Kiosks,” which allow officers to “extract data from a cell phone, put it into a report, and burn the report to a CD or DVD in as little as 30 minutes.” In other words, the police can pull data off your cell phone about your ‘whole life’ in the time it takes you to upload pictures of your vacation to Facebook.

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The operator at the office supply store call center answers the phone, and the person on the other end claims to be a school purchasing officer with questions about his account. But the caller is actually a criminal, and the information the operator may unwittingly divulge could cost the retailer hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s called the school impersonation scheme, and it has been carried out in nine states across the country—mostly by Nigerian criminal groups using the Internet and social engineering techniques.

“Most retailers have been pretty good about catching the scam,” said Special Agent Alla Lipetsker, “but it’s an alarming trend, and the fraudsters have had success.”

Here’s how the scam works:

A member of the criminal group poses as a school official on the telephone or by e-mail and uses social engineering—actions that deceive individuals into revealing otherwise secure information—to learn about a school’s purchasing account with large office supply stores.

Using account information obtained from the original call—and sometimes the school’s website—the fraudster makes a second call and bills the school’s line of credit for a large order of laptops, hard drives, printer ink, and other items that can total more than $200,000.

A U.S. shipping address is provided belonging to a third-party—someone who has been fooled into thinking they are working from home, for example, but is another victim of the group’s social engineering tactics (see sidebar). The purchase will later be re-shipped to Nigeria. In some cases, the order is directed to the actual school, whereupon the scammer—posing as a representative of the retail store—contacts the school and says the shipment was sent in error. The school, believing it is returning the order to the store, reships the items to a domestic address provided by the fraudster.

Either way, once the fraud is discovered, it’s too late, and the retailer absorbs the loss.

Those who perpetrate school impersonation schemes are members of an African Cyber Criminal Enterprise (ACCE), said Lipetsker, who has been investigating these groups for the past year as part of a new initiative in our Criminal Investigative Division.

ACCE refers to a network of predominantly Nigerian criminal actors who are engaged in computer-assisted frauds. The schemes are heavy on deception instead of hard-core intrusions, Lipetsker said. “The Africans don’t do a lot of hacking,” she explained. “They deceive their targets through phishing schemes and social engineering.”

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