Apech

Surveillance culture

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Am I right to be paranoid?

 

 

New surveillance powers will be given to the police and security services, allowing them to access records tracking every UK citizen’s use of the internet without any need for any judicial check, under the provisions of the draft investigatory powers bill unveiled by Theresa May.

 

It includes new powers requiring internet and phone companies to keep “internet connection records” – tracking every website visited but not every page – for a maximum of 12 months but will not require a warrant for the police, security services or other bodies to access the data. Local authorities will be banned from accessing internet records.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/04/theresa-may-surveillance-measures-edward-snowden

Edited by Apech

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Yes, you are.

 

 

 

Of course, I'm told the concept of personal liberty is overrated so...

 

 

Who told you that?

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A few closeted statists here have, as have others IRL. No value in naming names, though, as that comment was really in jest.

 

Yes, though -- that bill should be worrisome.

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What is the internet?

 

Connecting computers? To what?

 

You have a computer. Internet is built. You connect your computer to it.

 

Funny to wonder what is done with the connections?

 

Who built internet?

 

Was it government and industry?

 

Whoever built it - what for?

 

To help you connect? - to what?

 

 

 

-VonKrankenhaus

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Question is: what's an easy way around it?

 

VPN or TOR browser I guess.

 

Not that Al Quieda or ISIS will think of this :) 

Edited by Apech

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VPN or TOR browser I guess.

 

Not that Al Quieda or ISIS will think of this :) 

Dollars to doughnuts, the first amendment of this bill, should it become law, will be to make it a crime to attempt to defeat this data-collection.

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They also want to ban the highest forms of encryption, which basically means the only encryption which actually works.

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For some reason, Apech, Acts 9:18 came to mind. :)

 

 

Bloody hell you making me look up the Bible!

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From the article in the OP it seems like a proposed bill.  Probably good to keep an eye on it, who votes on it, as well as the exact details.  One could, if one cares, take action and write letters to those who are voting for the measure.  I listened to a talk from a state senator.  She didn't read all her mail, but her interns did, kept stats on how much and what it was for and against, as well as giving her the best written to read and respond to. 

 

I know there is cynicism but writing legislatures and newspapers letters against such legislation does have power.  Your letter may not be published but if there are many of them, someones will. 

 

Frankly I'm less worried about the government then key loggers finding out information.  Still, if you're concerned take action, get out of the virtual world and write an actual letter.  I think the U.S the pendulum is swinging the other way.  Both political parties are taking offense at earlier security measures after 9/11 and we're seeing some reversals. 

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<snip>

 

... Brian ... this is being introduced by a Right Wing Conservative government opposed by Socialists ... so forget that one.

The distinction shouldn't be establishment right-wing vs. establishment left-wing. That's the division we are supposed to focus on while both sides march us towards global statism, towards some shiny new version of feudalism. The long march has been slow but seems inexorable and accelerating.

 

Most people never notice the manipulations, and most of those who do notice quickly drift back into that comfortable slumber. Those few who see the machinations and don't go back to sleep, regardless of their political ideals, recognize that the subjugation is being carried out in the open -- "for our own good" -- and they tend to transcend this particular duality in just the same way we discuss transcending duality here on TDB.

 

I got the impression that you had an "Oh, shit!" moment but maybe not.

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The distinction shouldn't be establishment right-wing vs. establishment left-wing. That's the division we are supposed to focus on while both sides march us towards global statism, towards some shiny new version of feudalism. The long march has been slow but seems inexorable and accelerating.

 

Most people never notice the manipulations, and most of those who do notice quickly drift back into that comfortable slumber. Those few who see the machinations and don't go back to sleep, regardless of their political ideals, recognize that the subjugation is being carried out in the open -- "for our own good" -- and they tend to transcend this particular duality in just the same way we discuss transcending duality here on TDB.

 

I got the impression that you had an "Oh, shit!" moment but maybe not.

 

Oh not really but maybe a reminder as to how shit things are getting.  I kind of hold dear the 'Englishman's home is his castle' and 'individual liberty and the rule of law' as per Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, U. S. Constitution et al.  I don't like to see it eroded cos it's all we've got between sanity and totalitarianism.  When I get home on a winter's night and put on the lights I draw the curtains - not cos I have anything to hide but because I value privacy.  So this is like saying 'we have the right to tear down those curtains and watch you day and night whether you've done anything wrong/illegal or not'.  It's madness and it's sinister.

 

I am paranoid but it doesn't mean their not out to get me.

 

ha ha.

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Oh not really but maybe a reminder as to how shit things are getting. I kind of hold dear the 'Englishman's home is his castle' and 'individual liberty and the rule of law' as per Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, U. S. Constitution et al. I don't like to see it eroded cos it's all we've got between sanity and totalitarianism. When I get home on a winter's night and put on the lights I draw the curtains - not cos I have anything to hide but because I value privacy. So this is like saying 'we have the right to tear down those curtains and watch you day and night whether you've done anything wrong/illegal or not'. It's madness and it's sinister.

 

I am paranoid but it doesn't mean their not out to get me.

 

ha ha.

I had actually typed "Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you" in my first reply in this thread and decided to delete it before hitting the "post" button. :)

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The "Feel-Good" slant todays Papers (in the UK) are putting on it, is as follows:

 

Local Authories / Councils etc., will no longer be allowed to use CCTV Surveillance for frivolous or non-authorised purposes and the person / organisation caught doing so can be fined and named/shamed.

 

So Councils spying on people who put their bins out on the wrong day are in direct violation of the new rules !!

As are CCTV Operators zooming in to get a look at a Pretty Lady walking down the street.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but unless a recording is made of what each & every CCTV Camera is looking at.

And somebody in an Independent Monitoring Service goes through it all, how are we to catch those breaking the new rules ? 

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Bloody hell you making me look up the Bible!

 

Dear Mr Apech,

 

We recently noticed you mentioned IS on an internet forum. And now we see you have been looking up things in the bible. 

 

If you have any information that should be passed on to us . We suggest you do that as soon as possible.

 

 - a friendly reminder from  Homeland Security.  

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Dear Mr Apech,

 

We recently noticed you mentioned IS on an internet forum. And now we see you have been looking up things in the bible. 

 

If you have any information that should be passed on to us . We suggest you do that as soon as possible.

 

 - a friendly reminder from  Homeland Security.  

 

Dear Homeland Security,

 

Please could you move the unmarked surveillance van parked across the street from my safe house.  It is blocking my view of the naval yard which I am monitoring for the Russians.  Mr. Putin is very demanding and failure to report the movement of NATO warships could result in the termination of my contract i.e. me.

 

Thank you,

 

A. Pechov

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Indeed, it's a proposed bill. And all it would do, as I've read on a couple of news sites, is enable certain agencies to check records of websites visited up to 12 months prior. There's no reason most of us would need to worry about that. Privacy-wise, it's no different to a couple of things that already happen: they can check phone logs, get information about bank accounts, etc.

 

On the other hand... do I believe that the agencies to whom this legislation might be of use in countering terrorism don't already have access to pretty much all the information they want? And do we believe that the actually dangerous people aren't already making use of Tor etc to avoid being found?

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once long ago a us president named nixon lost the presidency for having a few bumbling amateurs crow bar their way into daniel ellsberg's psychiatrist's filing cabinet to get his file of ellsberg,,,,,,,,,,

 

wow, how times have changed,,,,,

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