New iPhone 5S Touch ID Has Many Questioning Security

With Apple’s recent release of the iPhone 5S, many people are questioning if one of the phone’s newest features, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, is the safest technology for users.

The Touch ID technology was introduced as an alternative to the current passcode feature. It works by allowing the user to simply place their finger on the home button of the smartphone and a sensor quickly reads your fingerprint and unlocks the phone.

“I really like the idea of a fingerprint scanner,” said Lee Yung, a Freshman Biology Major at GSU. “I think it will be more secure than a passcode because it’s your actual fingerprint and harder to steal.”

Others are not as keen on the idea of using their fingerprint as a password.

“I personally don’t want to put my fingerprint on anything because I don’t know where that information is going to,” said Andrew Wynia, a Senior Film Major at GSU.

With the recent trend in password hacking, the threat of having your fingerprint stolen, as opposed to just a simple passcode, is still an issue being questioned. It becomes a matter of personal choice; does the simplicity and ease the technology offers outweigh the possible threat?

“I can see where there’s a side that says it’s better security and I can also see where there’s a side that says, well nothing is secure and having that data that somebody could obtain is not a good idea,” said Dr. Douglas Barthlow, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies at GSU.

Only time will tell whether this new technology is safe for users or if hackers will be able to access the fingerprint data on the smartphone. In the meantime, students can visit Georgia State’s online student handbook in the cyber communications section to learn about other ways to protect themselves from the dangers of the cyber world.

Feminine Hygiene at GSU Becoming an Increasing Problem

The lack of proper and safe feminine hygiene disposal units on campus at Georgia State University is a growing issue among women, and with tuition costs constantly rising, students are beginning to wonder why these areas are still being ignored.

“I see a disparity between some bathrooms and other bathrooms and I don’t understand why that is,” said Christal Toso, a senior journalism major at GSU.

The current units in place are metal boxes with paper liners that often pose serious risks to users. Diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV can be contracted when exposed to the open, overflowing containers due to the high risk of cross-infection.

“Alternatives to the traditional ‘bag-in-a-box’ units are available,” said Curtis Caldwell, Assistant Director of Service at WellBeing Hygiene. “At WellBeing, we provide new technology in the form of touch-free feminine hygiene bins that decrease the risk of cross-infection and exposure to blood-borne pathogens.”

Touch-free bins, such as those offered by Wellbeing Hygiene, provide a safe and cost-effective solution to the ongoing problem of unsafe conditions in restrooms.

“Most of the bathrooms here are gross,” said Toso. “I think more of our tuition money should be allotted to providing better units.”

The continuing awareness of the dangers surrounding women due to the lack of healthy units on campus is a topic that can no longer be avoided. Improving the current state of these restrooms, in particular the lack of safe feminine hygiene units is a must and should be a top priority for facility managers and students alike.

A New View

Learning to use new and unfamiliar equipment can often pose a challenge; but I’m never one to shy away from a good lesson. Earlier in the week we were assigned our first project, which was to shoot, edit, and share a news story that was relevant to GSU. Coming up with a topic was simple, as was writing a script and setting up interviews; I have been exposed to this is part of the journalistic process many times before. Editing was also not that difficult due to the fact that I have some editing experience through other projects at home and at school. The challenge arose when it came time to actually shoot the story.

Hibaq, my partner, and I were using a video camera that neither of us had used before. The camera was a small, handheld, light piece of equipment, which offered great audio and visual capabilities for its size. We learned a few of the basic “how to’s” in class before setting off to actually shoot our material. It was a relatively painless experience other than the fact that I now had to begin thinking of what was actually being captured through that lens. Up until now, most of the projects I have undertaken focused primarily on written content; this is the first time I have had to create a digital component.

During the shooting process I had to really focus and understand that the digital portion of a story is about “What will the viewer see” as opposed to “What will the viewer read?” This allowed me to pay closer attention to what type of shots we were taking for B-roll which would allow us to capture the viewers attention. It also allowed me to understand how important angles, camera position, camera movement, etc. are to the modern world of digital journalism. Overall, I enjoyed using the camera and I feel as if this new tool allowed me to gain insight into a side of journalism that I had not yet ventured to, but I found myself really appreciating.