Orwell Saw it Coming...

[Nomad]

You may think you understand how the Patriot Act allows the government to spy on its citizens. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) says it’s worse than you’ve heard.

Congress is set to reauthorize three controversial provisions of the surveillance law as early as Thursday. But Wyden says that what Congress will renew is a mere fig leaf for a far broader legal interpretation of the Patriot Act that the government keeps to itself — entirely in secret. Worse, there are hints that the government uses this secret interpretation to gather what one Patriot-watcher calls a “dragnet” for massive amounts of information on private citizens; the government portrays its data-collection efforts much differently.

See the rest of the article here

Indeed, Hinnen allowed himself an out in his March testimony, saying that the business-record provision “also” enabled “important and highly sensitive intelligence-collection operations” to take place. Wheeler speculates those operations include “using geolocation data from cellphones to collect information on the whereabouts of Americans” — something our sister blog Threat Level has reported on extensively.

But don't worry, they're only doing this to make us all safer.

 

[Carol]

It started coming to light around this time:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

Unfortunately people ignored it then, too.

 

[MA-Caver]

It started coming to light around this time:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

Unfortunately people ignored it then, too.

That's why I like my phone... untraceable... at least to me... bought it at a gas station, no contract but of course my putting my phone number on job applications and such has probably put it on the list anyway.

Our future is so damned uncertain these days that it's scary. Too scary. Made me wonder about a lot of things... about myself, and my own life's experiences. If they haven't prepared me for something I haven't yet forseen... :idunno:

Thinking weird.

 

[granfire]

Well, on another forum a lady told a tale of some folks tresspassing and asking all kinds of weird questions, all for the sake of 'enhanced 911 mapping'
Stuff like how many people live at the residence, their names...
odd and weird...


or this little gem:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/04/aarons-inc-spy-webcam_n_857317.html

A major furniture rental chain provides its customers with computers that allow it to track keystrokes, take screenshots and even snap webcam pictures of renters using the devices at home, a Wyoming couple said in a lawsuit Tuesday.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

Begs the question:

Does technology make privacy irrelevant? We walk past something like 3 to 5 cameras per day, our cell phones are traceable, facebook puts our most embarrassing mistakes up for the world to see...

Maybe I should ask if it makes privacy illusory?

 

[Nomad]

Ironically, this was the Dilbert today: