Surveillance & Loss of Freedom

When freedom & privacy fades, our only real security is in Jesus Christ. Those who belong to Him need not fear the future. Psalm 27:1-3 and Psalm 32:7

November 2009

Brussels 'Home Office' plot to snoop on all of Europe: "Brussels bureaucrats are plotting a massive expansion in the use of surveillance and controversial extradition powers.... There would be an increased sharing of British DNA, health and tax records with foreign governments and investigators, as well as the introduction of new Big Brother surveillance techniques.... 'We are fast approaching a situation where the EU will have the full coercive machinery of a state but without the proper democratic controls or robust checks on power that citizens should expect.'" See The 'New European Soviet' "The Americas" is following the same UN pattern for regional integration.

Microchip Implant to Link Your Health Records, Credit History: "The VeriMed Health Link homepage describes the chip: …a tiny, passive microchip (the nation’s first and only microchip cleared for patient identification by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration).... Your Health Link is always with you and cannot be lost or stolen. That database can be accessed by doctors and nurses: About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is inserted just under the skin.... But VeriChip’s ambitions don’t end there.... Yes, it shows your Health Link chip linked to Google, Microsoft, employers and insurers...." See The Pizza Choice Game

Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs): Bugbots (bug-sized robot spies).

VeriChip shares jump after H1N1 patent license win: "The patents, held by VeriChip partner Receptors LLC, relate to biosensors that can detect the H1N1 and other viruses, and biological threats such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, VeriChip said in a statement. The technology will combine with VeriChip's implantable radio frequency identification devices to develop virus triage detection systems."

October 2009

Surveillance Nation: [UK] "...the police have a series of databases recording the personal details of thousands of people who attend protests or rallies, which are searchable by a number of officers and come complete with color photographs assembled and printed onto 'spotter cards' which are then distributed to enable agencies to monitor attendees at events. Cost of this part of the surveillance state alone? Over nine million pounds.... Now, it seems that the U.S. is thinking about following our example. The people of the good city of Atlanta are currently debating the installation of an additional 500 -- yes, 500 -- CCTV cameras." See Homeland Security and the Transformation of America

Smart meters could be 'spy in the home': "The devices, which the government plans to install in every home by 2020, will also tell energy firms what sort of appliances are being used, allowing companies to target customers who do not reduce their energy consumption. Privacy campaigners have expressed horror at the proposals, which come as two million homes have 'spy' devices fitted to their rubbish bins by councils who record how much residents are recycling.

"The government wants every home in Britain to have smart meters.... In its impact assessment, however, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) says there 'is theoretically scope... for using the smart metering communications infrastructure to enable a variety of other services, such as monitoring of vulnerable householders by health authorities or social services departments'....

"'This is Orwellian. We're already under surveillance for what we put outside the home in bins and now we could be watched for what we're doing inside as well." See Your friendly community spies

September 2009

Get ready! Here come the energy police: "Google is developing an Internet-based power monitor designed to monitor energy usage inside homes. ...the meter will provide utilities and any government regulators access to data on a household's energy footprint and carbon footprint.....'Energy offenders' could be charged substantial fines...." See An International Information System

Who Watches Big Brother? [UK] In George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel 1984, government propaganda constantly says: Big Brother is watching you. In Britain today, he certainly is. ...there is at least one camera for every 14 people in the country (and that’s an old statistic). Automatic Number Plate Recognition ... logs the registration of vehicles on motorways via a series of cameras.... And it’s not just motorists. Britain’s government has contemplated monitoring all e-mails. And phone calls. And internet use. ... The TV Licensing agency... makes a habit of automatically sending the most ghastly threatening letters to many law-abiding citizens, and constantly boasts of its comprehensive surveillance with the gloriously Orwellian slogan, 'It’s all in the database'. ...

"Garbage bins are having data chips installed in the lids to allow the state to monitor people’s 'disposal habits.'... Avoiding the standard of proof required in criminal law, the government has introduced Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, Dispersal Orders, Controlled Drinking Zones (of which there are more than 700, so far)...." See Justifying Mind Control

August 2009

Another target of Obamacare: Americans’ right to financial privacy: "Buried in the 1,017 pages of the House Democrats’ health-care bill is a little-noticed provision that for the first time could give the government access to the checking or credit-card information of every American. Under section 163, which is entitled 'Administrative Simplification,' the bill sets new 'standards' for electronic transactions between individuals and their health-care providers. According to section 163, the standards will 'enable the real-time (or near real-time) determination of an individual’s financial responsibility at the point of service.' ... In addition, they will 'enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation with related health care payment and remittance advice.'”

White House stops collecting 'fishy' e-mails: "The White House on Monday shut down its controversial effort to collect information about what opponents of the president's health care overhaul were saying in person and on the Internet, but said it will continue to track 'misinformation' through its Web site....

"The fear has been expressed that the White House was asking neighbors to inform on neighbors in a government-led data collection effort,' Mr. Issa wrote.... 'To help ease these concerns, please tell us what actions take place or have been discussed in regard to e-mails deemed 'fishy' and what safeguards the White House has put in place to insure no retributive steps are taken against those who express dissent.' The White House has not responded." See Your friendly community spies

June 2009

I'll be watching you online: "The Barack Obama administration has announced plans to lift a government ban on tracking visitors to government websites, and potentially, collect their personal data through the use of 'cookies' – an effort some suspect may already be in place on White House sites." See My High Tower: Seeing the world from His perspective

June 2009

Database of all children launched: "A controversial database which holds the details of every child in England has become available to childcare professionals for the first time.... 390,000 people will have access to the database, but will have gone through stringent security training. ...fears were raised that information about children's whereabouts could fall into the wrong hands." See No Place to Hide?

Big Brother asks: 'Do you have a flush toilet?' "The federal government is forcing 3 million Americans to disclose sensitive, personal information about finances, health and lifestyle in a 14-page survey.... The 2009 American Community Survey, an annual supplement to the decennial Census, asks about residents' personal relationships and whether a home has hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, bathing facilities, appliances and phone services. It also asks how many rooms are in a home and what vehicles are used at each household....

"The Census Bureau claims its question is used as a 'measure of fertility' and is used to 'carry out various programs required by statute, including … conducting research for voluntary family planning programs.'

"...citizens are required by law to complete it and may be fined as much as $5,000 for willfully refusing. While an individual may feel uneasy about answering each question truthfully, the fine for filing false information can be as much as $500. ....It goes on and on, mixing inane questions with highly detailed inquiries about your financial affairs." See Trusting God, not the world

May 2009

Spying on Neighbors for Govt (U.K.): "Children as young as seven are being recruited by councils to act as 'citizen snoopers'.... The 'environment volunteers' will report on litter louts, noisy neighbours - and even families putting their rubbish out on the wrong day. There are currently almost 9,000 people signed up to the schemes.... After basic training, volunteers are expected to be the 'eyes and the ears' of the town hall. They are given information packs about how to collect evidence, including tips about writing down numberplates, which could later be used in criminal prosecutions. ... It is also recruiting 'Junior Street Champions', aged between seven and 11. ...

"Last year the council undertook a recruitment drive for youngsters aged nine and above, called Junior Eyes. Children are given special books to write down reports on littering or graffiti in their schools, which they then send to the council. ... The information is then uploaded to a map of trouble spots." See An International Information System

Wisconsin court upholds GPS tracking by police: "Wisconsin police can attach GPS to cars to secretly track anybody's movements without obtaining search warrants.... As the law currently stands, the court said police can mount GPS on cars to track people without violating their constitutional rights -- even if the drivers aren't suspects." See Your friendly community spies

No matter what they might want to know about our families and activities, our God is our refuge!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside still waters.
He restoreth my soul..." Psalm 23

April 2009

Every phone call, email or website visit 'to be monitored': "The proposals will give police and security services the power to snoop on every single communication made by the public with the data then likely to be stored in an enormous national database." See An International Information System

Soon, cable TV may start watching you: "Targeted ads track interest, viewing habits; privacy advocates worried."

Will bill give Obama control of Internet? "Senate bills No. 773 and 778, introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller... are both part of what's being called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, which would create a new Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, reportable directly to the president.... Privacy advocates and Internet experts have been quick to sound the alarm over the act's broadly drawn government powers...." See Seeing the world from His perspective

March 2009

RFD America: "Smart Grid is closely related to the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), and both programs are designed to spy on Americans. Even more disturbing than the purpose of these government-condoned intrusions into our lives is the fact that the Obama Administration feels that Smart Grid is so important that it had to be funded in the stimulus package—which is supposed to be used for emergencies only. What’s the emergency? Why does Smart Grid need to be implemented within 60 days of the bill passing? ....Smart Grid is part of a global initiative to manage information, all information." See An International Information System

February 2009

Why veins could replace fingerprints and retinas as most secure form of ID: "Finger vein authentication, introduced widely by Japanese banks in the last two years, is claimed to be the fastest and most secure biometric method. Developed by Hitachi, it verifies a person's identity based on the lattice work of minute blood vessels under the skin. ... In Japan, thousands of cash machines are operated by finger vein technology." See An International Information System

Secret police target government critics: "Called the Confidential Intelligence Unit, the agency will be housed in a high-security annex at Scotland Yard.... The unit will have the same powers as MI5 to mount secret surveillance operations and recruit informers who will provide details of 'domestic extremists'..." See Homeland Security and the Transformation of America

January 2009

Economic Stimulus Bill Mandates Electronic Health Records for Every Citizen without Opt-out or Patient Consent Provisions: "...the economic stimulus bill mandates electronic health records for every citizen without providing for opt-out or patient consent provisions. 'Without those protections, Americans' electronic health records could be shared -- without their consent -- with over 600,000 covered entities through the forthcoming nationally linked electronic health-records network.'. ...The federal medical privacy rule promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996... already permits the disclosure of personal health information without patient consent." See An International Information System

Whistleblower Says NSA Monitors Everybody: "Massive dragnet sweeps up communications metadata, and financial records..." See Homeland Security and the Transformation of America
A grocery store that practically reads your mind: "Each shopping cart comes equipped with a computer so customers can scan in purchases as they load up. The smart cart also knows what you've bought at the same store before. Its computer can display custom-tailored coupon offers, trigger TV ads beamed on plasma-screen monitors as you pass by and chart a path to items you cannot find.... Thanks to digital cameras, they can distinguish a potato from a pomegranate.... 'It works,' said Zygmunt Mierdorf, chief information officer of Metro Group, the world's fifth largest retailer. 'Consumer acceptance has exceeded our expectations.'" See The Pizza Choice Game

RFID ink product could track humans: "A US company has launched a chip-less RFID (radio frequency identification) ink that can be used to track both animals and people. Visible or invisible ink 'tatoos' can be applied to the skin and tracked by RFID readers positioned a few feet away. The company, Somark, said it had successfully tested its Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink product on cattle and laboratory rats..." See An International Information System