Big Brother's long fingers
It is perhaps due to my ignorance that I am noticing this now, or maybe I just dismissed it as impossible, but I was pretty shocked by a finding that struck me tonight
Especially after 9/11, it is a common occurrence that Europeans pity citizens of the United States, because their privacy is invaded at every corner, and all that newspeak and fear-mongering really remind us of Orwell's 1984. My father is even so concerned about his privacy and personal information, that he turned down an opportunity to go to the post-2001 USA several times.
In fact, when I was about to leave for the Land of Freedom to spend a semester there last fall, I even had to pay for being watched and tracked. My visa request would not be granted unless I paid a $100 fee to SEVIS, an organization whose very purpose is to spy on foreign students and visitors.
I always thought that compassion is all that we had to offer in this context, but it turns out I was wrong: Obviously, an agreement between US and EU [NY Times] is about to happen, that will give the US government access to personal data of EU citizens. Am I the only one who feels this is an outrage? Any reason we should trust Team America with this?
Of course, they claim they will only "look for suspicious activity", but just consider how the FBI abuses the Patriot Act. Do you remember that sweet pot of honey they were feeding everyone prior to the Patriot Act vote? This is a binding agreement, and indeed is a big deal. If the EU will have to turn over any such information US would ask for, I think I have yet another reason to move to Norway.
Fortunately, there are some respectable voices speaking out against this. “I am very worried that once this will be adopted, it will serve as a pretext to freely share our personal data with anyone, so I want it to be very clear about exactly what it means and how it will work,” said Sophia in ’t Veld, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands who has been an outspoken advocate of privacy rights.
Of course, “the fight against transnational crime and terrorism requires the ability to share personal data for law enforcement.” Naturally, I am going to feel safer immediately, knowing that Ahmed ibn Muhammad, who sells Gyros in Frankfurt, has his credit report resting safe within the hands of the DHS, right next to mine.
But wait, it gets better...! “The Europeans have agreed that the American government’s internal oversight system may be good enough to provide accountability for how Europeans’ data is used.” Yeah right. I wouldn't trust the American government's internal oversight system to oversee berries-picking in my backyard. They would probably lose an unencrypted laptop with full recordings of everything I said and did during the past 18 months.
Duh. Can someone please tell me that everything is going to be okay...?
Especially after 9/11, it is a common occurrence that Europeans pity citizens of the United States, because their privacy is invaded at every corner, and all that newspeak and fear-mongering really remind us of Orwell's 1984. My father is even so concerned about his privacy and personal information, that he turned down an opportunity to go to the post-2001 USA several times.
In fact, when I was about to leave for the Land of Freedom to spend a semester there last fall, I even had to pay for being watched and tracked. My visa request would not be granted unless I paid a $100 fee to SEVIS, an organization whose very purpose is to spy on foreign students and visitors.
I always thought that compassion is all that we had to offer in this context, but it turns out I was wrong: Obviously, an agreement between US and EU [NY Times] is about to happen, that will give the US government access to personal data of EU citizens. Am I the only one who feels this is an outrage? Any reason we should trust Team America with this?
Of course, they claim they will only "look for suspicious activity", but just consider how the FBI abuses the Patriot Act. Do you remember that sweet pot of honey they were feeding everyone prior to the Patriot Act vote? This is a binding agreement, and indeed is a big deal. If the EU will have to turn over any such information US would ask for, I think I have yet another reason to move to Norway.
Fortunately, there are some respectable voices speaking out against this. “I am very worried that once this will be adopted, it will serve as a pretext to freely share our personal data with anyone, so I want it to be very clear about exactly what it means and how it will work,” said Sophia in ’t Veld, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands who has been an outspoken advocate of privacy rights.
Of course, “the fight against transnational crime and terrorism requires the ability to share personal data for law enforcement.” Naturally, I am going to feel safer immediately, knowing that Ahmed ibn Muhammad, who sells Gyros in Frankfurt, has his credit report resting safe within the hands of the DHS, right next to mine.
But wait, it gets better...! “The Europeans have agreed that the American government’s internal oversight system may be good enough to provide accountability for how Europeans’ data is used.” Yeah right. I wouldn't trust the American government's internal oversight system to oversee berries-picking in my backyard. They would probably lose an unencrypted laptop with full recordings of everything I said and did during the past 18 months.
Duh. Can someone please tell me that everything is going to be okay...?
posted by reverend at
22:16
8 Comments:
Welcome, once again, to the post 9-11 world in a land controlled by ultra-conservative wacko's like George Bush. Its something we, US Citizens, are fighting internally. Its become a bit of a civil war. There are those who believe in privacy and the US constitution and there are those who bow down to the fears invoked by breaches of safety. George W, never left the US priory to his presidency. I can think of more than one bar bet where you can end up in Canada, he did not even go there. Now he wants to listen to our private phone conversations and go beyond already well established documents of freedom. Yes, I said well documented. And they are. However, the problem is that our legal system is slow. And it take a while to even get a wacko president out of power and replaced by someone who is much more understanding to the meaning behind freedom, like Obama.
But for now, shame on the us, the US. And shame on you to EU.
Well, we can only hope that you are right, and that the good guys win the civil war. :-) And that we don't hand over our privacy before that happens.
As for 9-11... what is there to add? Terrorists win! (CS, anyone?) And they do not win because they managed to kill several thousands of people, or caused billions of dollars of damage. They win because their action affects daily lives of a billion people.
No disrespect meant towards the people who died that day, but "we" are overreacting.
Obama has a long, hard way ahead of him, if he is set to restore the reputation of goodwill and trust his country once used to have.
Anyway, Brian, thanks for reading and commenting.
I think Norway wouldn't be a solution because this seems to be a standard practice towards all countries, so...
1) Norway will be forced to accept the same condition to keep no visa regime
2) Norway IS forced to accept this as any country, member of the Schengen system (in which Norway participates)
so... how'd you like to live in... Russia? Yeah, maybe you should improve your German, Switzerland could be fine but I'm not really sure about the system of relations they have with the U.S. and leaving aside the fact that they are actually joining Schengen system as well or the have joined it together with us... hmmm I wasn't checked while going from France to Geneva, so the latter seems to be true. In Africa or Asia there are also nice places to live... ;-)
Wait a minute... what?! Are you kidding? What exactly is Schengen about, imposing all international treaties EU ratifies on every country present, or what? Why should Norway be bound by anything the EuroParlament votes for, if they are not a member country? I don't get it... I'd much rather have a visa regime than this.
I think I'm going to move to a cave I could dig somewhere in the middle-east. After all, even Jana suggested that life of a Bedouin should not be that bad, all things considered... ;-)
Well being a Beduin has one good side - polygamy (not sure about that and not sure about Jana).
What is even more scary is when you think that the whole problem is not just the current US approach to make us safer. It's the corporations that are lobbying and will be no matter what government is running the country. I've recently read a article about China's Golden Shield project written by a investigative reporter. The findings struck me. US corporations exporting technologies directly violating the embargo imposed (by them) on China after Tiananmen square massacre. Companies running large scale experiments in monitoring in one of the pioneers of capitalism in China - Senzen, some of the stuff already being implemented in large western cities (remember hundreds of thousands of cameras around London). I don't have the URL to the article, have it printed at home, so when (if) I find it, will post it in here.
I have an overall feeling that the critical mass has already been reached and no governments can change it - it's the corporations, they want money, they want power. I don't think that we'll get anywhere near 1984, but in general snippets of your life will be recorded and used whenever possible against us and most likely taken out of the context. Of course until the next war for resources (and I don't mean oil, I mean water, food, space)...sorry, but I'm very negative in this :)
Mwhaha, yes! And as a Bedouin, I could barter beautiful European women for my camels. Idyllic, I can't wait. :-D
I think I know the article you are talking about, it caused quite a stir in the online security community several weeks ago. Is this the one you meant?
I agree that it's quite good, and scary as well, an interesting and insightful read, recommended.
You make an excellent point with abusing the snippets. This is already happening, and at this rate will only get worse. I just can't see much good stuff coming out of this.
As for the resource war... you may want to check out Gwynne Dyer, he's a fabulous journalist, and has a concept of "Climate War". He argues (in short) that global warming will cause mass starvation, resulting in mass population movement, and an all-out war. As far as I know, hard security think-tanks around the world are already preparing for this.
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Thank you very much, guys, for participating. This must be the most meaningful discussion I ever had here. :-)
Ad Schengen
The problem is that this treaty was originally made outside the EC (by accident the signatories were almost the same) so this has nothing to do with European Parliament. Now the Schengen system was incorporated into the EU (or will be incorporated after some EU treaty will be strained through the member states). But because Norway signed it, it is logical that it applies on it. To large confusion, Norway or Iceland are in Schengen but not in the EU, but UK or Ireland are in the EU but not in Schengen. Ketchup or mayonnaise? ;-)
Reverend: yep, you got the right link. Thanks for mentioning Gwynne Dyer, I don't have much to do at work these days as I'm leaving soon...good reading is always hard to find :)
Shit, now Google knows that I'm not a hardworker (ie US knows), next time I apply for a job they'll know :(
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