Big Brother is Watching You

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According to the website Security News Daily, Big Brother is watching us in ways that most people are clueless about. I would venture to say that the Founding Fathers would not be too happy about it, either.

1. Roving John Doe Wiretaps - allows law enforcement to tap any and all communication lines — cellphone, landline, email, text messaging — a “person of interest” may be using.
2. FBI monitoring of email and electronic communications - Big Brother is constantly monitoring billions of email and e-communications, automatically, using very sophisticated search and identification algorithms.
3. “Red-Light” Cameras at intersections – snaps photos of license plates as people go through intersections.
4. Surveillance cameras in public places – these are connected to high-speed facial recognition software which matches against images of “persons of interest.”
5. Geolocation tracking on cellphones – just like scanning emails and other e-communications, Big Brother has the wherewithal to track your phone, anywhere, anytime, without your knowledge or permission.
6. Electronic toll collectors – people who use ezpass or ipass or similar electronic toll payment systems are also allowing Big Brother to track and store their whereabouts.
7. Business records - Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows Big Brother to access bank statements, library records, medical records, business papers — virtually any paper trail left by a “person of interest.” BB doesn’t even have to have to show probable cause.
8. The “Lone Wolf” provision of the Patriot Act - permits the government to conduct intelligence investigations without the traditional burden of proof.
9. The “Secure Communities” initiative – allows Big Brother to deport individuals they deem a security threat without any of the normal due process.
10. Biometric identification - fingerprints, eyes, voice, etc., are regularly scanned on people entering the U.S.

Read the whole thing, then ask yourself if gaining a little security is really worth losing all those previously assumed civil rights.

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Ben Franklin

 

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