Hurtling backward in time to 1984!!! (638 hits)
Category: NewsRating: 1.2 on 18 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Zandy1123 (View user info) at 2004-10-14 10:53:16 EDT
This is just too scary NOT to post.
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,65242,00.html?tw=wn_story_mailer
here's the text:
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Senate Wants Database Dragnet
By Ryan Singel
02:00 AM Oct. 06, 2004 PT
The Senate could pass a bill as early as Wednesday evening that would let government counter-terrorist investigators instantly query a massive system of interconnected commercial and government databases that hold billions of records on Americans.
The proposed network is based on the Markle Foundation Task Force's December 2003 report, which envisioned a system that would allow FBI and CIA agents, as well as police officers and some companies, to quickly search intelligence, criminal and commercial databases. The proposal is so radical, the bill allocates $50 million just to fund the system's specifications and privacy policies.
The Senate will likely have its final vote on the bill, sponsored by Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), Wednesday night. The draft of the bill was based on recommendations of the so-called 9/11 Commission, which investigated the United States' lapse in intelligence and security procedures prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
To prevent abuses of the system, the Markle task force recommended anonymized technology, graduated levels of permission-based access and automated auditing software constantly hunting for abuses.
An appendix to the report went so far as to suggest that the system should "identify known associates of the terrorist suspect, within 30 seconds, using shared addressees, records of phone calls to and from the suspect's phone, e-mails to and from the suspect's accounts, financial transactions, travel history and reservations, and common memberships in organizations, including (with appropriate safeguards) religious and expressive organizations."
But task force member James X. Dempsey, director of the Center for Democracy & Technology, says the commercial records involved are more limited public records, such as home ownership data, not information about what mosque someone belongs to.
He said he believes it's "absurd" to prohibit the FBI from using a commercial database like ChoicePoint to find a suspected terrorist's home address (though the FBI currently can and does do this). On the other hand, he asked, "Should they be able to go to ChoicePoint and ask for all the subscribers to Gun Owners Monthly? No, I don't think so."
The proposed network would not look for patterns in data warehouses to attempt to detect terrorist activities, Dempsey said. Instead, an investigator would start with a name and the system would try to see what information is known about that person.
But critics say the Senate is moving too fast and the network could infringe on civil liberties. Lawmakers are taking a "boil the ocean" approach, according to Robert Griffin, president of Knowledge Computing. His company runs Coplink, a widely used system for linking law enforcement databases. Despite being a supporter of increased information sharing, Griffin criticized the proposal for trying too much too soon and relying too heavily on commercial data.
"The next Mohammed Atta is not going to be found in commercial databases," Griffin said, referring to the tactical leader of the 9/11 attacks. "We are going to stop him running a red light somewhere, and we are going to run relationships associations with this guy and we are going to say, gee, you have things in common with guys on watch lists. That's how you are going to find the guy -- not because he has bad credit."
Civil liberties lawyer Lee Tien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation accused Congress of "institutional laziness" for not holding hearings on the proposal to hear the perspectives of advocates for consumers or battered women. Tien also argued that a widespread lack of privacy and due process protections would make data sharing dangerous.
"If someone transfers your credit report or medical history, you have no way of knowing," Tien said. "The natural feedback we expect in the physical world just doesn't work in the area of information. You have to be careful."
Tien is not alone in his concern. On Monday, more than 40 organizations, ranging from the American Association of Law Libraries to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, signed on to an open letter to Congress asking members to include adequate civil liberties safeguards in the pending legislation.
However, technology professor Dave Farber said that his work on the task force convinced him the task force's model was a "critical" tool in the fight against terrorists.
"A lot of (task force members) were very uncomfortable about data sharing," Farber said. "But all of us at the end felt confident that if the recommendations were followed, it was as good as it was going to get relative to privacy protections."
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quickie analysis:
"The proposed network would not look for patterns in data warehouses to attempt to detect terrorist activities, Dempsey said. Instead, an investigator would start with a name and the system would try to see what information is known about that person."
SCARY!!!
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"But critics say the Senate is moving too fast and the network could infringe on civil liberties."
Could?!?
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"An appendix to the report went so far as to suggest that the system should "identify known associates of the terrorist suspect, within 30 seconds, using shared addressees, records of phone calls to and from the suspect's phone, e-mails to and from the suspect's accounts, financial transactions, travel history and reservations, and common memberships in organizations, including (with appropriate safeguards) religious and expressive organizations." "
So...I could get pulled over for running through a stop sign, the police could check my phone records and see that I called my friend, Mohammad, a couple days ago, which would no doubt make the policeman (or woman) suspicious. Then they could dig up my e-mail address, link me to Ubersite and find some of my posts where I challenge the Bush administration for its policies... all in 30 fucking seconds.
Land of the free, home of the brave my ass.
User Reviews
Submitted by Jabba_the_Shit (user info) at 2004-10-28 09:42:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
AUTO Zandy -2.
See? It's easy!
Submitted by GodLovesALittleLovin (user info) at 2004-10-21 15:43:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Booyah! That's how I roll! +2's for life!
Submitted by 10c7c (user info) at 2004-10-14 21:27:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
"It seems like they plan on using it only against terrorists anyway"
Im not paranoid at all, barely care... was referring to whoever was dumb enough to write this
freedom of speech is one thing, but anyone who can come out and say this with a straight face needs a bullet in their head
or i guess you could change the wording to say whats really meant:
"It seems like they plan on using it only against muslims anyway"
rite? =)
Submitted by AwesomeJohnson (user info) at 2004-10-14 18:58:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 because you really believe in this, but I disagree here:
"Did you also know that the 9/11 Commission suggested state-issued identification for all citizens? The ID system would be determined and dictated by individual states, but all of the systems must conform to a national standard so that all of the systems work together"
I've already got a social security number, driver's licence, a passport, and a licence plate on my car, all state issued. One more thing doesn't really scare me.
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:57:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:25:52 (#)
Ranking: 2
Do you remember the TIPS program?
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Vaguely...
That's the one where the government (was it FEMA?) was hiring or recruiting citizen spies? Something like 1 in 24 people would be a citizen spy...
What a terrible idea. What happened to that, anyway?
Submitted by CoachMagirk27 (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:35:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:25:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Do you remember the TIPS program?
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:18:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for my future drinking buddy. NYC look out!
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-10-14 16:04:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-10-14 15:49:44 (#)
Ranking: 0
A bit paranoid are we? All your information can be found at the drop of hat at this very moment. So why be paranoid now, oh, oh I know, because they are finally letting you in on their secret? Grow up, get a job, get fucking life!
and one more thing
can you say LOSER!
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Job? ...check
Fucking life? ...check
Grow up? ...hell no
LOSER? ...get your punctuation straight
You're my favorite, Random Joe!!
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-10-14 15:49:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
A bit paranoid are we? All your information can be found at the drop of hat at this very moment. So why be paranoid now, oh, oh I know, because they are finally letting you in on their secret? Grow up, get a job, get fucking life!
and one more thing
can you say LOSER!
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-10-14 15:15:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by 10c7c (user info) at 2004-10-14 15:00:02 (#)
Ranking: 1
Random Joe, how stupid are you exactly?
I mean, how the fuck does someone as dumb as you actually develop the skills to even type those sentences.
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oh man...that's funny. you took the words right out of my mouth.
Submitted by 10c7c (user info) at 2004-10-14 15:00:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Random Joe, how stupid are you exactly?
I mean, how the fuck does someone as dumb as you actually develop the skills to even type those sentences.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2004-10-14 12:46:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2004-10-14 11:42:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'll plus 2 this, it has some thought behind it
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Besides look at this...
Wooo Hoooo
Link Whore Thursday!!!!!
http://www.ubersite.com/m/48392
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-10-14 11:32:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
1984 and no mention of Van Halen? Fuck you.
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-10-14 11:28:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Joe -
Don't you understand how dangerous this is? People are already being singled out by law enforcement for NOTHING...
I heard a story the other day about a gentleman in San Francisco who was in the locker room at his gym, bullshitting with some of his gym buddies. The conversation turned to politics and Iraq and this guy made a comment suggesting that the Bush administration was ineffective, diverting the public's attention by going to war with Iraq etc etc.
Big deal right? We're allowed to critique our government - we're allowed to speak out - that's what democracy's all about.
Well, the times they are a-changin'. This guy went home from the gym and a few hours later the FBI was at his doorstep and proceeded to question him about the comments he made at the gym. Apparently, his gym buddies had called the local authorities because he made the comments.
I've heard similar stories on the TV news, internet news, newspapers etc.
So, tell me - how is this new terror-information network going to help things??
Did you also know that the 9/11 Commission suggested state-issued identification for all citizens? The ID system would be determined and dictated by individual states, but all of the systems must conform to a national standard so that all of the systems work together.
These are all traits of a fascist regime.
"We the people" have to stand up and shout, or our government is going to walk all over us.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2004-10-14 11:24:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
nobody wants the government to know that they buy fat chick fetish porn, but everybody wants to know if their neighbor is stockpiling fertilizer and takes vacations in libiya.
i don't care.
voting is for pussies.
vote for larry bird.
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-10-14 11:07:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
So what? Challenging the Bush administration on Ubersite isn't illegal, as far as I know. Besides, I really doubt that they would look you up because you drove over a fucking stop sign. It seems like they plan on using it only against terrorists anyway