WHO IS (ACTUALLY) WATCHING YOU?
Surveillance of private citizens is a given in today’s world. Most of us accept the fact that we are being observed by someone and something to some degree for at least a portion of our daily lives.
Sure, there are limits to what is deemed acceptable, but those limits seem to be exceed and re-set in the public mind with upsetting regularity. There was a point not long ago when traffic cameras and CCTV Police scanners were considered blatantly un-Constitutional. Now the outrage-point requires the selling off our personal data from one business to another for profit and manipulation. Data records, I might add, of such detail and depth they would make J. Edgar Hoover blush.
Well, ever the progressive trend-setter, California is leading the way in anti-surveillance legislation. Or at least, cities within the state are trying it out.
Oakland, considered by many to be San Francisco’s urinal, is proposing the formation of a special city council that would be responsible for approving any municipal surveillance initiatives. The Privacy Advisory Commission would be civilian-led and review “technology impact reports” submitted by any agency that wishes to set up a surveillance program. That includes the police.
This seems smart, if unavoidably bureaucratic. But here’s the kicker: it’s more about preventing the FEDERAL government from gaining access to the state’s surveillance systems.
For example, in February of 2017, multiple cities in California nixed plans for an automated license plate reader systems when it was discovered that the manufacturer of those systems already had a contract to secretly share the collected data with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You know, ICE. Yeah, those assholes.
So…I don’t know about you, but I’m glad we’re at least thinking about this stuff and getting some kind of legal concepts about it in the books.
It’s going to get weird.
It certainly needs to be cut down as much as possible while there's still time. We trade in more and more freedom for claims of protection every year.
Given the simplicity and low cost of technology and the government's high demand of data (no matter what it is), there is no running away from the Big Brother. I think that one of the ways to go is to make all the data unclassified, so when the government sucks video streams from the CCTV on the city's every corner then those streams should be available publicly.
Very informative ! Worth sharing.
Nowadays, anybody could be watching anybody. We can't be always sure if the police are the ones watching behind cameras. Sometimes, it's the other way around.
My brother said that Google download from you 1 GB of data per month. Crazy. You pay for traffic)) They sell info. As a user it's bad, but as an entrepreneur who wants to sell something on the internet - it's COOL
Business wants to know everything about people. We need warm calls.
The age of personal data trafficking has arrived and we are barely aware of the consequences...
very interesting topic....
This problem is now very hot in my country. Because the government requires all citizens who have a mobile phone number to register its ID number as well ...:(
We are no longer free citizens ...
I love what California is doing. They have been doing this for a while. At least one of our states has the balls to stand up to the federal government. That's how they are all supposed to be. That's the way it is designed and that's why we have different states rather than just one big playground for the federal government.
It is shocking has easily personal information can be gained if you know the right channel and with very little information about the individual. I also detest the call centres who have my name and phone number and try to sell me something. The question I always ask is "where did you get my information from" then the phone is cut off. We are being tracked on all sides.
What punishment should we public give government for stalking on our mothers, sister, girlfriend, wife, and daughters? in the name of public safety and research goverment can manipulate anything anyone. be carefull they may be watching you now