Foo - Big Brother marches on

Can you imagine what George Orwell would have said about this (http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/media/2006-2007/mp3/qq-2007-05-19a.mp3)? (link goes to an MP3 of the latest Quirks and Quarks (http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/06-07/may19.html) podcast)

Assuming we don't destroy the biosphere first, how long will it be until our brains are "profiled" as we walk down the street?

Think I'm just paranoid?
Well who would of thought that CCTV cameras would become so cheap that they would become ubiquitous in our lives? (that question is better left for those born pre-Duran Duran - you young-ins have been desensitized to the loss of anonymity).

The government always has and always will spy on its people, in particular when there is a war going on where they fear those who are outspoken in their opposition to it. (John Lennon for instance)

Back when I was younger I am quite certain the government spied on me and my family because of all the gun websites I visited.

Trust me, they don't need to scan your brain. Being able to know every website you go to and what you post there is close enough.

Don't think about an elephant!

The government always has and always will spy on its people, in particular when there is a war going on where they fear those who are outspoken in their opposition to it. (John Lennon for instance)

Back when I was younger I am quite certain the government spied on me and my family because of all the gun websites I visited.

Trust me, they don't need to scan your brain. Knowing every website you go to and what you post there is close enough.


I disagree with two of your points.

First, it is society that implements this "monitoring" in the name of safety - not the government (although the politicos are more than happy to oblige). A war is not needed. Just the technological ability, and enough sheeple to think it's a good idea without actually weighing the long-term ramifications.

Second, collecting a profile of websites that you visited assumes a warrant was issued. I've worked for ISP's, and they're populated by nerdy individualists who don't willingly handover info to the coppers.

But think of how safe we can be if we capture a real-time inkling of what a 'bad guy' might be contemplating...

I'm no web genius, but as far as I know the government can see everything on the web. I was told that by my computer nerd friends, but I am certainly open to hearing they are dead wrong. And it wouldn't surprise me if the government did get a warrant, but I do happen to know from situations I won't discuss that the govenment, especially at the federal level does whatever the hell it wants, and often sees no need to get warrants. Nowadays with the patriot act this is quite magnified.

...as far as I know the government can see everything on the web

Well, yes in the same sense that YOU can see everything on the web. Just type in the URL, or better yet, the IP addy of the website.

But they can't see page requests that you log, unless they go to your IP provider (with a warrant), and watch what where you surf. (or see the logs of where you searched in the past - how long that is, is dependant on your IP)

Packet sniffing's as old as them thar hills.

While doing my job, I learned that fiber optic cables from the secret room were tapping into the Worldnet circuits by splitting off a portion of the light signal. I saw this in a design document available to me, entitled “Study Group 3, LGX/Splitter Wiring, San Francisco” dated Dec. 10, 2002. I also saw design documents dated Jan. 13, 2004 and Jan. 24, 2003, which instructed technicians on connecting some of the already in-service circuits to the “splitter” cabinet, which diverts some of the light signal to the secret room. The circuits listed were the Peering Links, which connect Worldnet with other networks and hence the whole country, as well as the rest of the world.

One of the documents listed the equipment installed in the secret room, and this list included a Narus STA 6400, which is a “Semantic Traffic Analyzer.” The Narus STA technology is known to be used particularly by government intelligence agencies because of its ability to sift through large amounts of data looking for preprogrammed targets. The company’s advertising boasts that its technology “captures comprehensive customer usage data … and transforms it into actionable information.... [It] provides complete visibility for all internet applications.”

Damn Government!:p Oh well! My life is a G rated bore fest so why should they care about me! Sigh! :(

that question is better left for those born pre-Duran Duran

awesome.... I thought I was the only one who measured time by the hits of the lebon brothers:D

awesome.... I thought I was the only one who measured time by the hits of the lebon brothers:D

Well, they do make for a clear-cut demarcation - sortof symbolize the end of the 60's and 70's styles.

Well, they do make for a clear-cut demarcation - sortof symbolize the end of the 60's and 70's styles.

Yeah, I always thought "girls on film" was the begining of the 80's

I would have worried about this, but nowadays it seems more likely that the planet's winding up for a mighty big and well deserved b!tch-slap for humanity.

I would have worried about this, but nowadays it seems more likely that the planet's winding up for a mighty big and well deserved b!tch-slap for humanity.

Ya, I agree.
But it probably won't get all of us, and those that are left will then start the whole damn thing over again.

monitoring does not require the will of the people, and never has (it's required the approval of the courts with some exceptions). Packet sniffing, ARP poisioning, DNS poisioning, etc.

There is always a method to accomplish a dastardly deed, no exceptions.