Thursday, December 03, 2009

First Christmas Carol of the Season

We know when you've been sleeping
We know when you're awake...[More]

And remember, "they" hate us because we're free.

[Via Zachary G]
Posted by David Codrea at 12/03/2009 01:08:00 PM

6 comments:

Plug Nickel Outfit said...

From the linked article - Sprint/Nextel provides a web interface (for LEOs) for these requests. No mention is made of what criteria is required to access this information, but the Manager of Electronic Surveillance for Sprint states that "the tool has just really caught on fire with law enforcement."

Also related - this story:
Yahoo, Verizon: Our Spy Capabilities Would 'Shock', 'Confuse' Consumers

The linked article details FOI requests for the price lists that these companies have been using to charge government agencies for otherwise private and personal customer information.

12/03/2009 2:29 PM
straightarrow said...

I may just be extra curmudgeonly today, but so fucking what? I and others have been saying for years that this would happen. We were branded as paranoid idiots while the real idiots kept on thinking that every technological advance would only make life peaches and cream and would never be abused.

I'm tired of telling the intentionally stupid to beware. I am ready to let them be eaten. These are the same people who see no harm in an arms registry or OnStar or Cardcheck. They can't be saved. I quit. Let them be eaten. It will only save us ammunition when the inevitable occurs

12/03/2009 3:00 PM
anhourofwolves said...

I invite WoG readers to get familiar with MAINCORE, as we are most definitely among the 8 million (coincidence?) Americans being tracked by it.

12/03/2009 8:09 PM
Anonymous said...

Maincore = 8 miilion people?
Doesn't that approximately equal three out of every one hundred, or 3%?
Gee, where have I seen that number before?

12/03/2009 10:55 PM
Plug Nickel Outfit said...

Just a reminder - those 8 million GPS co-ordinate 'requests' are just those from Sprint. I wouldn't doubt that Verizon could account for the same or more. The remainder of the carriers could probably tally up another 8 million.

The greatest security risk in this whole story is probably to all the ex-girlfriends and their current boyfriends who are being checked up on by spurned cops, bureaubots, and politicians.

By the way - a year and a half ago David did a post on MAINCORE.

A couple other pieces for those who might have an interest:

Synthetic Environments for Analysis and Simulation

and

Evolutionary Cognitive Neuroscience: Dual Use Discipline for Understanding & Managing Complexity and Altering Warfare

WV= visabile

12/04/2009 1:02 AM
AlanR - GunRightsAlert.com said...

I wonder how many people who object to RFID chips pack a cell phone with a GPS that is far superior for tracking their movements?

It is another example of incrementalism at work, my several year old phone has three settings for the GPS locator: off, on and on only when calling 911. The newer model is always on.

12/04/2009 7:37 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)