Surveillance

A troubling development:

Apple has patented a piece of technology which would allow government and police to block transmission of information, including video and photographs, from any public gathering or venue they deem “sensitive”, and “protected from externalities.”

In other words, these powers will have control over what can and cannot be documented on wireless devices during any public event.

And while the company says the affected sites are to be mostly cinemas, theaters, concert grounds and similar locations, Apple Inc. also says “covert police or government operations may require complete ‘blackout’ conditions.”

photo by zebedee Just now read a rather disturbing article from Sophos security. The article describes the interpretation of the law by NSA and some of the internal policies that they use in surveillance. They also reveal that courts don’t always determine who’s targeted for surveillance because that discretion is practiced by the NSA’s own analysts, with only a percentage of decisions being reviewed by regular internal audits.

A scene from the 'Touch of Evil' (1958). Flickr image by Luisru León In this day and age of the surveillance state, a quotation worth remembering from the legendary Orson Welles over 50 years back. A policeman's job is only easy in a police state. -- Charlton Heston as Mike Vargas in the movie "Touch of Evil"(1958), Orson Welles (screenwriter and director) Curiously, a similar statement was made over a decade back, in fact a couple of years before 9⁄11, before the world changed, or actually before the United States’ war on terror changed the world.