2014 is 1984. When mobile phones first came into use, the big fear was radiation. Governments and the big phone companies said everything was safe but the worry remained that all of that electromagnetic energy pouring in and out from our ear-held phones would cause brain tumors. More recently, the biggest controversy over the new era of ... MORE
The obliteration of privacy. After Edward Snowden released some of the most significant national
security leaks ever, we've been fed a constant stream of sickening
revelations. Snowden's message has mostly been listened to, and the
year culminated with him even getting a spot on prime time TV to tell us that “a child born today ... MORE
by Ed Morrissey. Does the latest NSA revelation
show the agency creating newer and more humane efforts to defuse
potential terrorist situations through discrediting their leaders — or a
dangerous new direction for government snooping? Perhaps this might be a
little bit of both. The NSA collected data on six potential targets
about ... MORE
Serious data-collection on Americans begins. Surveillance monitors and bracelets; key cards; Smart Cards; Radio Frequency Identification tags, labels, and toll collectors; followed by the newest wave of subdermal implants (ostensibly to keep the kids and Grandma safe). Hidden GPS satellite tracking; concealed webcams; ... MORE
by Raj Sabhlok at Forbes. It’s a case that’s captured everyone’s attention — pirates, drug trafficking, hit men, government intrigue. By now, few people haven’t heard about Silk Road, run by the now notorious Dread Pirate Roberts, a pseudonym from the film “The Princess Bride.” It’s an interesting next chapter to perhaps the biggest news ... MORE
by Rainey Reitman. This summer, some of our worst fears and suspicions about the NSA
have been confirmed. We now have evidence that the NSA is actively undermining the basic security of the Internet. It is collecting millions and millions of phone records of individuals not suspected of any crime. It is surveilling journalists. The NSA’s ... MORE
We've only seen the tip of the iceberg on NSA abuse. “Dear NSA/CSS family,” begins a Sept. 13, 2013, letter to employees and “extended family” of the nation’s largest spy agency from NSA director Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, the boss of the family (CSS stands for Central Security Service, an NSA subagency). In the missive, published ... MORE
America has always been a trendsetter. Controversial new legislation allowing the Government Communications Security Bureau to spy on New Zealanders has passed its final vote in Parliament tonight. The GCSB amendment Bill passed its third and final reading by 61 votes to 59 following another heated debate between MPs. National, ... MORE
Court approves warrantless cellphone tracking. Last month the New Jersey Supreme Court
ruled that police generally need a warrant to obtain
information about the locations of cellphone users. Last week the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
said just the opposite. The first
decision was based on Article I, Paragraph 7 of the New ... MORE
Is the GOP listening to the American people? The House is considering the Defense Appropriations bill and conservatives in the House are insisting on votes dealing with National Security Agency (NSA) spying, aid to the military government in Egypt and aid to Syrian opposition groups. According to Politico,
Rep. Justin Amash ... MORE
by Ricardo Bilton. One the most valuable things in the world right now is your data. For Facebook and Google, your data is a window into your soul, your interests, and your buying habits. It’s how they can convince advertisers that giving them money makes sense. It’s how they’ve gotten rich. But the rise of data companies has also given birth to more ... MORE
by James S. Robbins. Would you trust thousands of low-level Federal bureaucrats and contractors with one-touch access to your private financial and medical information? Under Obamacare you won’t have any choice. As the Obamacare train-wreck begins to gather steam, there is increasing concern in Congress over something called the ... MORE
A society of exhibitionists invites a government of voyeurs. If Americans were honest, we would change our national anthem from Francis Scott Key’s “Star Spangled Banner” to Rockwell’s 1984 hit “Somebody’s Watching Me.” The lyric “can the people on TV see me” surely fits America 2013 better than a dated 1814 reference to “the land of the free.” ... MORE