Last minute protests prevent drone purchase

(SteveWatson) – A county Sheriff’s department in California that planned to buy and operate a surveillance drone has been forced to suspend the idea, and possibly scrap it altogether after privacy advocates fought tooth and nail in opposition. Read the rest of this entry »

(NaturalNews) – If you’re not familiar with “Washingtonspeak” – that odd, unique variance of the English language in which words don’t really mean what they are supposed to mean – you might not know that the lawmakers who wrote the new Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) aren’t really too concerned about the protection aspect of the legislation, at least as it applies to the general public’s concern about privacy. Read the rest of this entry »

See Also: (ActivistPost) – Keeping the Slaves on the Plantation: Senate Says No Passport if You Owe Taxes – Read More Here

(GreenPirate) – Due process? Probable Cause? Screw that. Some US legislators are intent on being able to monitor all of your online activity, lurking in your internets like pedobear at a playground. The bill H.R. 3523, or Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), appears to be the next brewing threat to internet privacy and freedom. Read the rest of this entry »

(RussiaToday) – ‘Anger is growing in Europe about new Washington data sharing demands, in what they call a move to stop potential terrorists from entering the U.S. The requirements include fingerprints, DNA samples and cross border payments – data considered by many as private and sensitive. Travellers from countries refusing to share the information will have to apply for a visa to enter the U.S. However some EU states – like Austria and Germany – have already agreed to hand over the personal data of its citizens.’ Read the rest of this entry »

(UKDailyMail) – A controversial new website which allows citizen spies to plug into the nation’s CCTV cameras and snoop on shoppers from home has sparked major privacy fears.

Internet Eyes will pay keen-eyed viewers up to £1,000 to scour thousands of CCTV cameras across Britain looking for law-breakers. Read the rest of this entry »

(CNN) – Read the rest of this entry »

(TechEye) – It may have taken more than a few hundred years but it seems that the French-backed terrorist junta of the Americas has finally resorted to type.

The free world was aghast yesterday when the United States decided that it is perfectly acceptable for Government agents to sneak onto your property in the middle of the night, put a GPS device on the bottom of your car and keep track of everywhere you go.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has decided that this does not violate the Fourth Amendment. Read the rest of this entry »

(SteveWatson) – A Report in TIME magazine details how it is now perfectly legal in nine states for the government to attach secret satellite tracking devices to your car and monitor you wherever you go, without a search warrant.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the report also details how The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which made the ruling, essentially suggests that privacy should be reserved for rich people only. Read the rest of this entry »

(BostonGlobe) – A privacy advocacy group is suing the Department of Homeland Security to suspend the use of the controversial full-body scanners employed at airports across the country, including at every major checkpoint at Logan International Airport.

The machines, which use X-rays or radio frequency energy to detect weapons and explosives beneath passengers’ clothing, have been much criticized because of privacy concerns. Read the rest of this entry »

(SteveWatson) – More loving technology from IBM to “make your life easier” Read the rest of this entry »

(RawStory) – Privacy rights advocates and civil liberties campaigners in Europe are raising the alarm about a new surveillance system that monitors conversations in public.

The surveillance system, dubbed Sigard, has been installed in Dutch city centers, government offices and prisons, and a recent test-run of the technology in Coventry, England, has British civil rights experts worried that the right to privacy will disappear in efforts to fight street crime.

The system’s manufacturer, Sound Intelligence, says it works by detecting aggression in speech patterns.

“Ninety percent of all incidents involving physical aggression are preceded by verbal aggression,” the Sound Intelligence Web site says. “The ability to spot verbal aggression before it turns into a violent outbreak delivers valuable time to security personnel and enables speedy intervention.” Read the rest of this entry »

See Also: (LondonTelegraph) – Google’s Eric Schmidt: You can trust us with your data - Read More Here

(Infowars) – Among tech journalists, one name stands out in regards to the question of who the most powerful corporation in the tech industry is. Google has a strong 85.78% market share on Internet search, making them the primary resource for web surfers looking for information about their topics of choice. This means that if your company drops off Google, it takes a serious hit especially if your business is heavily based on customers obtained and managed through your online presence.

Google’s Gmail system has between 113 and 176 million monthly users, depending on source, making them one of the top three email providers in the world.

According to a report from Kevin Rose, founder of Digg, Google is rumored to be set to launch a social network called “Google Me”. This would put Google in direct competition with Facebook, Myspace and other social networks. Google already collects users search patterns, email, travel, and in some cases private network activity. A social network would allow them to have direct access to their users daily thoughts and interactions. Several high-profile technology journalists have taken the stance that given Facebook’s ongoing privacy concerns, Google’s social network would be a welcome addition to the web.

Read the rest of this entry »

(KurtNimmo) – NSA Director Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander told the Senate Armed Services Committee in April that he would work to protect the privacy rights of Americans online. It was an interesting comment from a man who heads up an organization responsible for a massive program of illegal dragnet surveillance of domestic communications and communications records of millions of ordinary Americans since at least 2001. Read the rest of this entry »

Why is Pennsylvania utilizing Big Brother scare tactics to collect tax money? Are protesters being denied free speech at this summers G-20 summit? Will the federal government soon have access to your bank account? StartPage.com Story- Internet privacy issues must be addressed. Plus, Alex Jones presents facts as to how the U.S. Government is planning military operations against American citizens. The Reality Report Crew take on those questions and deliver the facts and solutions in the 43rd edition. Read the rest of this entry »

(April 30) – Alex also talks with Wayne Madsen, a Washington, D.C.-based investigative journalist, author and columnist. A former commissioned Navy ensign, Madsen worked as a government consultant on contracts for the National Security Agency and later joined the Electronic Privacy Information Center as a senior fellow. In late January 2005 Madsen left EPIC and began his career as an investigative journalist. Read the rest of this entry »

(April 30) – Alex also talks with Wayne Madsen, a Washington, D.C.-based investigative journalist, author and columnist. A former commissioned Navy ensign, Madsen worked as a government consultant on contracts for the National Security Agency and later joined the Electronic Privacy Information Center as a senior fellow. In late January 2005 Madsen left EPIC and began his career as an investigative journalist. Read the rest of this entry »

(ElectronicFrontierFoundation) – Since its incorporation just over five years ago, Facebook has undergone a remarkable transformation. When it started, it was a private space for communication with a group of your choice. Soon, it transformed into a platform where much of your information is public by default. Today, it has become a platform where you have no choice but to make certain information public, and this public information may be shared by Facebook with its partner websites and used to target ads.

To help illustrate Facebook’s shift away from privacy, we have highlighted some excerpts from Facebook’s privacy policies over the years. Watch closely as your privacy disappears, one small change at a time! Read the rest of this entry »

(TimesOnline) – POLICE chiefs are facing the threat of a High Court privacy action over a nationwide network of cameras that is being used to take up to 14m photographs of motorists every day. Read the rest of this entry »

In the Swiss newspaper Zeit Fragen, Professor Dr. Eberhard Hamer from Germany asks, “How Sovereign is Europe?”

He examines the issue and concludes that Europe has little, if any, sovereignty. Read the rest of this entry »

(AP) – The Feds are on Facebook. And MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, too.

U.S. law enforcement agents are following the rest of the Internet world into popular social-networking services, going undercover with false online profiles to communicate with suspects and gather private information, according to an internal Justice Department document that offers a tantalizing glimpse of issues related to privacy and crime-fighting. Read the rest of this entry »

(AP) – The Feds are on Facebook. And MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, too.

U.S. law enforcement agents are following the rest of the Internet world into popular social-networking services, going undercover with false online profiles to communicate with suspects and gather private information, according to an internal Justice Department document that offers a tantalizing glimpse of issues related to privacy and crime-fighting. Read the rest of this entry »

(PaulWatson) – A new government commercial currently running on one of Britain’s most popular radio stations is selling one thing – fear – by encouraging Londoners to report their neighbors as terrorists if they use cash, enjoy their privacy, or even close their curtains. Read the rest of this entry »

(CNBC) – Market Tips: Get Out of Stocks and Bonds

Global stocks were mixed Friday, with European shares paring earlier gains after preliminary data showed the euro zone economy’s recovery faltered in the fourth quarter, on top of investors still uncertain as to what will happen to Greece. Read More Here

(Fox) – After Rare Bipartisan Deal, Reid Slashes Jobs Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid abruptly announced Thursday that he had drastically slimmed down the bill from $85 billion to just $15 billion, tossing out key priorities of both Republicans and Democrats. Read More Here

(WaIndep) – Credit Suisse Declares the U.S. a Riskier Investment Than Indonesia

Amid fears that Switzerland might come to an agreement with the United States on banking privacy and tax evasion disclosures, Credit Suisse issued a report identifying those countries it determined to have the highest risks of default on their sovereign debts. Number 16 on the list was the United States, based primarily on its 2009 budget deficits and government debt. Read More Here

(Reuters) – German halt, Italian reverse hit euro zone recovery

Europe’s post-recession recovery hit a roadblock on Friday as German economic growth unexpectedly halted and Italy went into reverse in the final quarter of 2009, knocking total euro zone GDP growth almost flat. Read More Here

(HindustanTimes) – India’s food inflation inching to 18 per cent

Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed last week that the worst was over on rising prices of essential items, India’s annual food inflation based on wholesale prices rose to 17.94 per cent for the week ended Jan 30. Read More Here

(Fox) – Obama Signs Bill Lifting Federal Debt Limit to $14.3 Trillion

President Obama has signed legislation lifting the cap on government borrowing to $14.3 trillion. Read More Here

(Bloomberg) – Beijing Seen Vacant for 50% as Chanos Predicts Crash

Jack Rodman, who has made a career of selling soured property loans from Los Angeles to Tokyo, sees a crash looming in China. He keeps a slide show on his computer of empty office buildings in Beijing, his home since 2002. The tally: 55, with another dozen candidates. Read More Here

Stick a Fork in it, The Dollar is Done

News junkies, currency buffs, and economists of an Austrian tilt have been having quite an entertaining few weeks. Between massive blizzards from Virginia to New England, another baseless Dollar rally, and the hilarious notion that a little Greek debt could unwind the Euro, there certainly has been plenty to talk about. Read More Here

(Aletho) – New Phase, Not Just Another Recession

It is becoming increasingly clear that the financial meltdown of 2008 and the subsequent economic contraction that continues to this day represent more than just another recessionary cycle. More importantly, they represent a structural change, a new phase, the phase of the dominance of “finance capital,” as the late Austro-German political economist Rudolf Hilferding put it. Read More Here

(Portfolio) – Danger Ahead for Small Banks

The small banks that do much of the lending to small business face a crisis in the near future that could force thousands of them to cut back on loans. Read More Here

(StarTribune) – Foreclosure numbers may foretell delinquency surge

The number of U.S. households facing foreclosure in January increased 15 percent from the same month last year, and a surge in cash-strapped homeowners who’ve fallen behind on mortgages could be on the way. Read More Here

(AJC) – Metro Atlanta foreclosures skyrocket this month – Read More Here

(ABC15) – Report: Valley foreclosures not slowing down – Read More Here

(DallasBiz) – Dallas/Fort Worth quarterly foreclosure postings jump 22% – Read More Here

(NYDaily) – Number of New Yorkers at risk of losing their home to foreclosure surges, new statistics show – Read More Here

(MarketTicker) – 30 Year Auction – A Solid ‘F’ – Read More Here

(DailyMail) – Welcome to boarded-up Britain: One in eight shops now stand empty as recession hits high streets

The number of empty shops blighting our high streets has trebled since the start of the credit crunch, it was revealed yesterday. Read More Here

(MailOnline) – Did Goldman Sachs rig the bank-tax vote? Foul play suspected in Richard Curtis internet campaign – Read More Here

(DailyExpress) – Housing Minister: It’s Ok to Lose Your Home

LABOUR’S housing minister yesterday insulted millions struggling to survive the recession by claiming that having their homes repossessed might be their “best option”. Read More Here

(DailyExpress) – Labour’s ‘100 %’ Death Tax

MILLIONS of people could lose almost every penny of their assets under a new “death tax” being considered by Labour to fund care for the elderly. Read More Here

(PaulWatson) – Radio talk show host Alex Jones is calling for petitions, boycotts and lawsuits en mass in an effort to block the nationwide implementation of full body scanners that represent a total violation of privacy, a health risk, and the next wave of tyranny being metered out against the American people and the people of the world under the phony pretext of fighting terrorism. Read the rest of this entry »

European Union governments have given in to the pressure and appear set to make a last-minute agreement with the United States to allow its intelligence agencies to monitor bank accounts and transactions across the bloc. Read the rest of this entry »

Often lauded as the ‘CCTV state’ and ‘the most surveilled country in the world’, the UK may soon deliver a killing blow to the Internet as we know it. Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing is reporting some leaked legislation from the UK government that would remove any kind of freedom or privacy that the Internet grants its users. Read the rest of this entry »

(ShellyRoche) – Since I’m following various recent assaults on our Internet freedom & privacy pretty closely, I found this… interesting (or maybe I’m just another, er, “crazy blogger”): Read the rest of this entry »

(ShellyRoche) – Since I’m following various recent assaults on our Internet freedom & privacy pretty closely, I found this… interesting (or maybe I’m just another, er, “crazy blogger”): Read the rest of this entry »

(Telegraph) – The European Union is spending millions of pounds developing “Orwellian” technologies designed to scour the internet and CCTV images for “abnormal behaviour” Read the rest of this entry »

The Washington Post reports the Justice Department “recommended that Congress move swiftly with legislation that would protect the government’s ability to collect a variety of business and credit card records and to monitor terrorism suspects with roving wiretaps” set to expire 31 December 09. Read the rest of this entry »

(NYPost) – It’s been a hilarious August, watching media supporters of President Obama’s health care package puzzle over the obscure motivations of the noncompliant Americans rallying against it. Read the rest of this entry »

(WPost) – The Obama administration is proposing to scale back a long-standing ban on tracking how people use government Internet sites with “cookies” and other technologies, raising alarms among privacy groups. Read the rest of this entry »

(Fox) – The White House strategy of turning supporters into snitches when they see “fishy” information about the health care debate may run afoul of the law, legal experts say. Read the rest of this entry »

When the news broke this afternoon of the government’s campaign to have supporters snitch on other American citizens who commit the transgression of opposing his government-run health (s)care plan, I was working on my latest audio clip from the Great One Mark Levin. Here is 13 minutes of commentary (Tues. Aug. 4, Hour 1) by the brilliant and frighteningly prescient radio host. During this clip you will hear the following moving quotes: Read the rest of this entry »

Communications firms warn of unprecedented extension of state powers Read the rest of this entry »

The Majority in Congress and the President are promising to change the “status quo” by pushing a government run-medicine plan (HR 3200). The plan would create rationing through government committees, force all Americans to buy over-priced, politically created health insurance, create an economically unsustainable government-run insurance plan and impose economy-crushing taxes. Read the rest of this entry »

(NYTimes) – The National Security Agency is facing renewed scrutiny over the extent of its domestic surveillance program, with critics in Congress saying its recent intercepts of the private telephone calls and e-mail messages of Americans are broader than previously acknowledged, current and former officials said. Read the rest of this entry »

(C4L) – The REAL ID Act may be on the verge of receiving its final coffin nails. Unfortunately, the Obama administration is pushing a replacement bill that poses many of the same threats as REAL ID. Read the rest of this entry »

A new Cybersecurity bill would grant the President unprecedented power to shut down the internet and ignore privacy laws. Learn more: Read the rest of this entry »

Former Republican Congressman Tom Davis, reportedly President Barack Obama’s top candidate for cyber security czar, voted repeatedly to expand the government’s internet wiretapping powers, and helped author the now-troubled national identification law known as REAL ID. Read the rest of this entry »

Under the pretext of the war on terror and through initiatives such as the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), as well as other commitments, there has been an ongoing effort to further harmonize North American security priorities. Read the rest of this entry »

(Daily Mail) – The former head of MI6 has hit out at ‘striking and disturbing’ invasions of privacy by the Big Brother state. Read the rest of this entry »

(Daily Mail) – The former head of MI6 has hit out at ‘striking and disturbing’ invasions of privacy by the Big Brother state. Read the rest of this entry »

The Obama administration’s new Cybersecurity system will only make the Internet more vulnerable to attack, while creating the framework for a massively upgraded government surveillance grid that will control and regulate every aspect of our daily lives through the implementation of “smart” technology. Read the rest of this entry »

The Obama administration’s new Cybersecurity system will only make the Internet more vulnerable to attack, while creating the framework for a massively upgraded government surveillance grid that will control and regulate every aspect of our daily lives through the implementation of “smart” technology. Read the rest of this entry »

Google’s controversial Street View mapping service has been banned in Greece until the company comes up with extra privacy guarantees. Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite a pledge to open government, the Obama administration has endorsed a Bush-era decision to keep secret key details of an FBI computer database that allows agents and analysts to search a billion documents with a wealth of personal information about Americans and foreigners. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite open government pledge, administration keeps lid on FBI database Read the rest of this entry »

A pair of bills introduced in the U.S. Senate would grant the White House sweeping new powers to access private online data, regulate the cybersecurity industry and even shut down Internet traffic during a declared “cyber emergency.” Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Formed in the wake of 9/11 as a way to search out domestic terrorist threats, fusion centers today are being bombarded with criticism on all sides for things like improper surveillance of the supporters of third-party presidential candidates and an ambiguous mission directive that has lead to power overreaching. Read the rest of this entry »

Formed in the wake of 9/11 as a way to search out domestic terrorist threats, fusion centers today are being bombarded with criticism on all sides for things like improper surveillance of the supporters of third-party presidential candidates and an ambiguous mission directive that has lead to power overreaching. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington – The government’s coordinator for cybersecurity programs has quit, criticizing what he described as the National Security Agency’s grip on cybersecurity. Read the rest of this entry »

Dame Stella Rimington, the former head of MI5, has accused the Government of exploiting people’s fear of terrorism to restrict civil rights. Read the rest of this entry »

Republican politicians on Thursday called for a sweeping new federal law that would require all Internet providers and operators of millions of Wi-Fi access points, even hotels, local coffee shops, and home users, to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations. Read the rest of this entry »