Orwellian

Obama’s Drones – Coming to a Window Near You

"The Constitution of the Unites States guarantees that we shall not be 'deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,' that we have a right to trial and to be charged with a crime. But if the president of the United States, as a Columbia Law School professor described President Obama’s actions a few days ago, 'is acting as judge, jury and executioner,' how are we to defend ourselves? We can at least start by demanding that Capitol Hill outlaw the use of surveillance drones against the 315,279,355 presumed innocent Americans now living in the United States." Continue reading →

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As Secretive “Stingray” Surveillance Tool Becomes More Pervasive, Questions Over Its Illegality Increase

"A few months ago, EFF warned of a secretive new surveillance tool, commonly referred to as a 'Stingray,' being used by the FBI in cases around the country. The device, which acts as a fake cell phone tower, essentially allows the government to electronically search large areas for a particular cell phone's signal—sucking down data on potentially thousands of innocent people along the way. At the same time, law enforcement has attempted use them while avoiding many of the traditional limitations set forth in the Constitution, like individualized warrants. This is why we called the tool 'an unconstitutional, all-you-can-eat data buffet.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAs Secretive “Stingray” Surveillance Tool Becomes More Pervasive, Questions Over Its Illegality Increase

Idaho, Arizona Schools Go Into Full Prison Mode

"Schools in Meridian, Idaho went into full 'prison mode' after a student who brought a folding shovel to Heritage Middle School in Meridian, Idaho prompted the school’s 'resource officer' to call for a full lockdown. On February 5, three schools in Yuma, Arizona were placed on lockdown as the result of what was later described as a 'rumor' of a gun on campus. Officers from two local law enforcement departments and two federal agencies – many of them kitted out in full combat attire – were mobilized for the operation. The students were held in custody for more than three hours before being released." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIdaho, Arizona Schools Go Into Full Prison Mode

Idaho, Arizona Schools Go Into Full Prison Mode

"Schools in Meridian, Idaho went into full 'prison mode' after a student who brought a folding shovel to Heritage Middle School in Meridian, Idaho prompted the school’s 'resource officer' to call for a full lockdown. On February 5, three schools in Yuma, Arizona were placed on lockdown as the result of what was later described as a 'rumor' of a gun on campus. Officers from two local law enforcement departments and two federal agencies – many of them kitted out in full combat attire – were mobilized for the operation. The students were held in custody for more than three hours before being released." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIdaho, Arizona Schools Go Into Full Prison Mode

Pentagon to Start Awarding Medals for Drone Strikes and Cyberattacks

"The Defense Department is reportedly inventing a new medal designed to reward soliders who fight battles from the safety of their computer consoles. The Associated Press says the Pentagon is creating a new ribbon, called the Distinguished Warfare Medal that will be given for 'extra achievement' related to a military operation. That would include drone pilots operating unmanned planes from halfway around the world, or even hackers who launch a successful cyberattack on an enemy. Unlike all other combat-related medals, this would be the first one that you can be awarded without actually putting your life on the line." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPentagon to Start Awarding Medals for Drone Strikes and Cyberattacks

Vietnam jails 22 activists for subversion

"The 22 were accused of running a 'reactionary' group disguised as an eco-tourism operator, which produced documents 'slandering' the regime and distorting its guidelines and policies, according to state media. Dozens of activists have been jailed since Vietnam — a one-party state that forbids political debate — began a new crackdown on free expression in late 2009. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung ordered a new crackdown on online dissent, telling authorities to fight against anyone using the Internet to 'defame and spread propaganda against the party and state'. Vietnam bans private media and all newspapers and television channels are state-run." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVietnam jails 22 activists for subversion

Chinese Justice – Or Orwell Circa 2013?

"The Ministry of Public Security is working to set up an annual high-level meeting with US judicial officials in a bid to catch and return more Chinese fugitives. 'We're negotiating with the US Department of Homeland Security and will try to arrange the first summit this year,' said Wang Liqiang, a senior official in the ministry's international cooperation bureau. The meeting is expected to bring together the minister of public security and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with their US counterparts to discuss cooperation on intelligence, operations, suspect repatriations and the recovery of stolen assets." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese Justice – Or Orwell Circa 2013?

Pakistan hatches biometric ID scheme to claw back unpaid taxes

"Pakistan's National Data Base and Registration Authority (NADRA) aims to put every Pakistani adult into one of the world's largest multi-biometric databases. 'We have 452 static centers where people are coming and giving this data, we have 250 mobile vans, we have a motorcycle service, and we (even) have people up in the mountains -- skiers and mountaineers with man-pack units,' says chairman Tariq Malik whose mission it is to log every potential taxpayer in Pakistan. 'We are going to block their ID cards, and we are going to block their bank accounts, and we are going to block their foreign travels until the either pay or file an appeal,' says Hakeem." Continue reading →

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Raytheon secret software tracks social media and ‘predicts’ people’s future behavior

"A video obtained by the Guardian reveals how an 'extreme-scale analytics' system created by Raytheon, the world’s fifth largest defence contractor, can gather vast amounts of information about people from websites including Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. The Massachusetts-based company has acknowledged the technology was shared with US government and industry as part of a joint research and development effort, in 2010, to help build a national security system capable of analysing 'trillions of entities' from cyberspace." Continue reading →

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Homeland Security Watchdog OKs ‘Suspicionless’ Seizure of Electronic Devices Along Border

"The Department of Homeland Security’s civil rights watchdog has concluded that travelers along the nation’s borders may have their electronics seized and the contents of those devices examined for any reason whatsoever — all in the name of national security. The President George W. Bush administration first announced the suspicionless, electronics search rules in 2008. The President Barack Obama administration followed up with virtually the same rules a year later. Between 2008 and 2010, 6,500 persons had their electronic devices searched along the U.S. border, according to DHS data." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHomeland Security Watchdog OKs ‘Suspicionless’ Seizure of Electronic Devices Along Border