Privacy in a monitored world [Echelon]
I don´t know but I guess you´ve already talked a great deal about this subject. However, there seem to be people that are ignorant of this subject and it scares the willies out of me. Why I´ve chose Echelon is because it interests me and there is a bit of material and hard evidence out there for everyone to read. Since I find it hard to clearly express myself, please memo me or sum about questions or post a follow up.
So you wonder, what is it, does it affect me and why should I bother?
Well very shortly it´s a network for monitoring al communication.
And since you are highly likely to send information trough any of these relay points it affects you. Should you bother? Read 1984 by Welles.
*Yeah right! They don´t have the tech to do it.
Well if NSA was a company it would be right up there on the 50 biggest companies in the states. And then add the British, Canadian, Aussie and Kiwi intel. So they certainly have the money and personell.
And that´s just the official part, sweden for one has allegedly sent data from one of their spy signal stations and we are supposedly neutral. How many more countries want´s a piece of the cookie?
*Ok, but they wouldn´t do that, it has to be illegal.
In the name of hunting terrorists? Get real.
*Pft, well I use 128bit crypto. So I´m safe.
Well maybe you should have a chat with the company that wrote the program. Backdoors is a reality, and if they don´t have they key do you think they could cluster puters to break it? According to the swedish security police (SÄPO that is) NSA can break a PGP 128bit crypto in 0.005 seconds.
*Bah that is impossible!
Well there is talk about the NSA budget.. 10 billion US$ I don´t find that figure feasible but even if you half it you can still get a couple of cans.. and clustering them is no biggie. And that would be a yearly budget..
*Well maybe you got a point.. but so what, why should I care?
Well first of al, who controlls these people? I sure don´t and I don´t think that the american people has alot to say either. (You do know about CIA black ops right?)
*Anyways, they would never go after me.
Then I must ask why not? If not to fight real crime then just to justify their own existence, no enemy no money. Why be unemployed when you can create a new threat? (no commies anymore)
*HAHAHA, are you having an acidflashback or something?
Well go read for yourself then
*You are making a horse from a tail
As I mentioned the CIA ran (maybe still is) covert black ops which dealt in Cocain, ran guns to right wing extremists and even physically got involved in latin america with both equipment and personell. Where are those people now? And those behind them? Do you think that Oliver North was the mastermind behind CIA black op´s?
Once again, go to fas.org and read up on Echelon
Do something about it if you care.
Why just talk about the subject. We obviously need to do something about it. I know it seems like we would get nowhere fast but petitions and things of that sort have done major things in the past. Find a petition and join it. Go to the White House and start a riot. Nah... On second thought don't do anything at all. Somebody else will take care of it.:cool:
