The Monitored Society

Your Privacy - NOT!

Do you have a cell phone? A tablet?  Any other app-running device?  If so, you have no privacy.  Here's how you can confirm that for yourself.

When you install a new app, one of the things it does is inform you what permissions and access the app uses on your device.  Some of the permissions and accesses I've seen include:
1. Access to your contacts list.
2. Permission to email / txt names on your contact list, using YOUR name.
3. Read the contents of your txt and email messages.
4. Listen to your voice conversations.
5. View and monitor your video chats.
6. View and copy your pictures.
7. Track your movements.
8. Turn on your device cameras at any time they choose.
9. Turn on your device microphone any time they choose.
10. The ability to modify, add to, copy or delete files from your personal storage.

And others.  Turning your device 'off' will not interfere with any of the above.  Only removing the device battery will prevent monitoring.  - - But Wait!  Have you ever tried to remove the battery from your tablet device?  Can you?

No problem, you say.  You'll just send sensitive messages through the US Mail.  Okay, that might be more secure than using a cell phone, but the US Postal Service has devices that read hand writing.  How do you suppose they sort all that mail, after all?  So each piece of mail is automatically scanned for destination and return addresses, and entered into a database.  Before long the US Postal service has your 'contact' list.  You can combat this by not using a return address.  That's still legal.  I think.

A couple paragraphs earlier you probably snorted and said something about the ostrich killer's paranoia.  That's just business, you say.  I ask you: are you so sure?  Did you know that Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA) coordinate with each other on the release of new Windows operating systems?  Don't be alarmed; this news is several versions of Windows old.  Bet you didn't know it, though.  Right?  Why do you suppose they coordinate with each other?

About twelve years ago a study revealed that Americans living in metropolitan areas were photographed an average of 18 times a day.  Since then traffic cams, mall cams, parking lot cams, sidewalk cams, etc. have proliferated.  There are television shows - multitiples of them - that use the pervasive presence of these cameras as part of their story lines.  Catching bad guys, usually.

Don't get me started on RFIDs.  They were a private venture to help shoppers, then government got their hands on them, and then - but don't get me started.

Does it comfort you to know you can't move around without being watched?  That when you pick your nose while waiting out the traffic light, you are being watched?  Do you like knowing you can be tracked down to about 13 feet accuracy?  Do you like knowing that after you check into your hotel room, your cell phone / tablet is recording voice and video?  Or looking over your shoulder as you order room service?  Next thing you know  your cell phone will notify authorities when you're speeding.  Big surprise in the morning's mail after that . . .

The Ostrich Killer leaves it to you to determine what nefarious purposes this information can be put should Big Brother decide he wants to.  You know who Big Brother is, right?  If not, read 1984.

You think the above is a bit of a joke?  Let me quote Will Rogers:  "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts."