Surveillance & Loss of Freedom

2007-2009

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

[Israel's] Residents Warned Not to Speak with US Snoops: “In light of the pressure constantly being exerted upon us from the Americans,' Haetzni continued, 'cooperation with them is like a victim cooperating with his executioner.'... 'Any piece of information, no matter how insignificant it seems, can be used against us by a hostile element.” See Reinventing the World Part, 3

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.

Your smart meter is watching: "North America's electrical grid is one of the greatest technological achievements of the 20th century. However, at the time of its design, the main goal was to make sure the lights stayed on, with no serious thought to energy efficiency, environmental conservation, alternative energy sources, consumer-tailored choices, or cyber security. But times have changed, and today the grid offers a virtual window into your home – providing granular levels of information such as when you cook or shower, and for how long.... President Barack Obama's infusion of $3.4 billion (U.S.) to build the smart grid is greatly accelerating the delivery of the program across the U.S."

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...."

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."

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...."

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...."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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...."

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."

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."

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'..."

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."

Whistleblower Says NSA Monitors Everybody: "Massive dragnet sweeps up communications metadata, and financial records..."

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.'"

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..."

November 2008

Apple's all-seeing screen (2006): "We could soon see a new kind of display screen from computer maker Apple – one that simultaneously takes pictures while showing images. ... Each sensor captures its own small image, but software stitches these together to create a single, larger picture." See George Orwell's 1984 and No Place to Hide?

September 2008

Big Brother wants every single e-mail: "...plans by the Security Service and Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist command want to detail every phone call, e-mail, text message and online purchase to aid the fight against terrorism. Four billion e-mails are sent every day in the UK. Last year 67 billion text messages were transmitted."

French revolt over Edvige: Nicolas Sarkozy's Big Brother spy computer: "Hervé Morin, the Defence Minister, broke government ranks to side with a growing revolt against Edvige, an acronym for a police database that will store personal details including opinions, the social circle and even sexual preferences of more or less anyone who interests the State. Edvige...was created by decree in July to store data on anyone aged 13 or above who is 'likely to breach public order'.... [It] will also track anyone active in politics or trade unions and in a significant role in business, the media, entertainment or social or religious institutions. Listed people will have limited rights to consult their files.... Defenders of Edvige pointed out that everyone is electronically tracked these days and that people volunteer their biographies and private details on Facebook and other networking sites." (9-9-08) No, not "everyone" yet. See An International Information System

Vehicle License Plates Are Used in Efforts to Track Down Tax Evaders: "Two barrel-shaped cameras on top of his license inspector's car instantly captured the tag numbers on dozens of vehicles in the lot. Within seconds of his first pass, an alarm sounded and red lights flashed on a laptop computer linked to the cameras. ...the system can capture 1,500 license plate numbers and images per minute and read plates from all 50 states and Canada and Mexico. Who's using the technology?"

August 2008

Shock bracelets for all airline passengers: "An official with the Department of Homeland Security says the U.S. should consider having airline passengers wear electronic bracelets that could track their movements, hold personal information and be triggered like a Taser to stun them into immobility....The video says passengers could be fitted with 'electronic ID bracelets' they would wear until they disembark their flights. The device would replace a ticket, carry passenger information, track passengers through terminals and track carryon luggage. But the key feature is that the bracelets could be discharged, as a gun, and leave the wearer 'immobile for several minutes' although without causing 'permanent injury.'"
Connecting the Dots to an International ID (By Representative Sam E Rohrer): "Ben Franklin has famously stated, 'People willing to trade freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.' ... By commandeering every state's driver's license issuing process, REAL ID threatens the results warned by Franklin - loss of both freedom and security. It has become the biometric enrollment phase of a plan to implement a terribly invasive tracking system, largely without public knowledge or approval. REAL ID is merely the current face of a far larger, international government and private economic effort to collect, store, and distribute the sensitive biometric data of citizens to use for the twin purposes of government tracking and economic control.... This effort extends worldwide..." See An International Information System - Executive Order #13011

Controlled transformation. 'Greenshirt' youths urged to inform on eco-crimes: "Placed in prominent newspapers... the ads offer giveaway diaries in which kids can note domestic infractions, such as leaving a mobile phone charging for too long or a Nintendo game left flickering in the dark, as well as Post-It notes, which can be left at the crime scene as a warning to the offenders [parents, etc.]. Equally important, the campaign seeks to attract kids to its controversial Web site, Climate Cops, which encourages children to monitor and report ... energy crimes to their classrooms.

      "...Others see excessive indoctrination tactics lifted from the pages of the George Orwell novel 1984, in which children are set against their parents, or worse, the Hitler Youth, who were encouraged to betray their loved ones for the greater glory of the state. ...a satirical article on the British Web site Anorak referred to these cadets as 'Greenshirts' and compared them to the young Blackshirts of yore. 'NPower, the electricity people, want you, the Britisher Jungvolk, to inform on your mums and your dads if they disobey the rules on climate change.' Despite the mockery and alarm... the response has been overwhelming positive....

      "...kids can download 'Climate Crime' Cards to monitor their family's misdeeds. 'Report back to your family to make sure they don't commit those crimes again (or else!)' Instructs the site page.....'What about the homes of your uncles, aunts or friends from school?'.... Last year, 65 schools participated." See The Nazi Model For Outcome-Based Education

Repeated: The Nazi Model For Outcome-Based Education: "Learning his lessons from Soviet revolutionaries, Hitler knew that only cloaked promises and misleading visions could win the support of the unsuspecting masses -- and build a compliant army of young radicals. That America's educational and political leaders would stoop to the same low standard has remained hidden from the general public. That their aim is global socialism with cradle-to-grave surveillance is angrily denied by the trained and trusted guardians of our children's minds....

       "INFUSE NEW VALUES THROUGH 'REAL LIFE' LEARNING [Praxis] .....Block the negative influence of parents and traditional culture.... Punish parents who protect their children from state indoctrination...."

July 2008

China to Spy on Olympic Visitors: "Sen. Sam Brownback has charged that China is preparing a spy attack on visitors to the Olympics Games....'China has 'carefully plotted to take advantage of the situation of having thousands of foreign visitors on its soil' and 'set up a system to be able to spy and gather information about each and every guest at hotels....' China’s targets will include journalists, athletes’ families, and human rights advocates....

"...his office had been contacted by attorneys for international hotel chains who said the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) told foreign-owned hotels to install Internet monitoring equipment.... The text alludes to harsh punishment for failure to comply with the order, including loss of license to operate a hotel in China.'” See Communist Strategies Build Global Solidarity

Australian Company to Issue Arizona Speeding Tickets: "...Melbourne-based ticket vendor Redflex will activate what will soon become the largest speed camera operation in the United States. Governor Janet Napolitano (D) commissioned the program to generate $165 million in revenue.... 'We fully expect this program to provide a benchmark for the role speed enforcement will play in traffic safety in North America in the next decade,' [said] Redflex Traffic Systems CEO.... The company plans to blanket the state with 40 mobile speed vans, 10 mobile red light camera systems, 90 fixed speed cameras and 30 cameras capable of simultaneously issuing tickets in two directions." See An International Information System

June 2008

ID cards 'could threaten privacy': [UK] "The National Identity Scheme is due to start rolling out later this year, and will eventually hold details on everyone in Britain over the age of 16....'We are concerned... about the potential for 'function creep' in terms of the surveillance potential of the national identity scheme.'" See An International Information System

Chávez decree tightens hold on intelligence: "Venezuela: President Hugo Chávez has used his decree powers to carry out a major overhaul of this country's intelligence agencies.... The new law requires people in the country to comply with requests to assist the agencies, secret police or community activist groups loyal to Chávez. Refusal can result in prison terms of two to four years for most people and four to six years for government employees. 'We are before a set of measures that are a threat to all of us,' said ... a justice on Venezuela's top court, in a rare public judicial dissent. "...This is a step toward the creation of a society of informers.'" See Using violence to justify snooping, snitching and statist control

April 2008

VeriChip Markets Its Implantable RFID Tags and Services Direct to Consumers: For $149, a consumer can have a passive 134 kHz RFID chip, compliant with the ISO... standards, implanted in his or her arm, with the transponder's unique 16-digit ID number linked to a database containing that individual's medical records and, if they so choose, a living will. ...about 900 hospitals... have received RFID interrogators that can be used to read a patient's embedded VeriChip RFID transponder to automatically access that person's medical records." See Signs of the times

Met Police officers to be 'microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother style tracking scheme: "Every single Metropolitan police officer will be 'microchipped' so top brass can monitor their movements on a Big Brother style tracking scheme, it can be revealed today. ... The new electronic tracking device - called the Automated Personal Location System (APLS) - means that officers will never be out of range of supervising officers."

Face scans for air passengers to begin in UK this summer: "...unmanned clearance gates will be phased in to scan passengers' faces and match the image to the record on the computer chip in their biometric passports.... To ensure no one on a police watch list is incorrectly let through, the technology will err on the side of caution and is likely to generate a small number of 'false negatives' - innocent passengers rejected because the machines cannot match their appearance to the records. ...

"Phil Booth... said: 'Someone is extremely optimistic. The technology is just not there. The last time I spoke to anyone in the facial recognition field they said the best systems were only operating at about a 40% success rate in a real time situation. I am flabbergasted they consider doing this at a time when there are so many measures making it difficult for passengers.'...

"So far around 8m to 10m UK biometric passports, containing a computer chip holding the carrier's facial details, have been issued since they were introduced in 2006." See A Terrorist? Me?

Cellphones to keep track of your purchases -- and you: "The same chip-based technology that California won't allow to be forcibly placed under people's skin will soon be ubiquitous in cellphones, which the telecom industry believes will be increasingly used as electronic wallets to make purchases.... Your cellphone would be constantly broadcasting your location, along with, possibly, your name, address and other potentially sensitive information." See An International Information System

Cellphones to keep track of your purchases -- and you: "The same chip-based technology that California won't allow to be forcibly placed under people's skin will soon be ubiquitous in cellphones, which the telecom industry believes will be increasingly used as electronic wallets to make purchases.... Your cellphone would be constantly broadcasting your location, along with, possibly, your name, address and other potentially sensitive information.... Cellphone companies love the technology because they anticipate customers using more minutes and being less likely to switch services once they've turned their handset into an e-wallet." See An International Information System

March 2008

Police call for help from volunteer spies: "POLICE are seeking hundreds of volunteers to spy on crime hot spots and trawl through surveillance tapes to help catch criminals. Each South Australian police local service area will organise and equip the volunteers to undertake the often time-consuming task of crime surveillance. In some cases, the volunteers will use binoculars to monitor areas and pass on details of suspicious activities to police." See Lessons from China and Justifying snooping and statist control

Visa Will Put A Microchip In New Card: "Visa International said yesterday that it planned to introduce a new type of plastic card, embedded with a microchip, that is intended to replace bills and coins for small purchases."

December 2007

FBI Prepares Vast Database Of Biometrics: "The FBI is embarking on a $1 billion effort to build the world's largest computer database of peoples' physical characteristics, a project that would give the government unprecedented abilities to identify individuals in the United States and abroad. Digital images of faces, fingerprints and palm patterns are already flowing into FBI systems.... And in the coming years, law enforcement authorities around the world will be able to rely on iris patterns, face-shape data, scars and perhaps even the unique ways people walk and talk, to solve crimes and identify criminals and terrorists."

Big Brother Britain: How much do you earn? Are you gay? Town Hall chiefs have been ordered to find out: "Every town hall has been ordered to send out surveys demanding local residents' personal information and opinions. The forms will ask householders to give details of their children, mortgage, ethnic background, religion and sexual orientation.... Ministers have even given instructions that local councils must try to disguise their involvement in the survey to avoid attracting criticism. ... Information provided for the new council survey will not be protected by basic confidentiality rules." See Managing the Masses through Global Standards & Continual Assessments

November 2007

House approves limits on electronic spying: "The House voted late yesterday to restrict the federal government's electronic spying powers, despite calls from the White House that the measure would compromise national security."

October 2007

In Britain, law has long arms, eagle eyes: "The closed-circuit television camera lurking just down the street... bellows menacingly at the first sign of danger to the flora, or a cast-off cigarette butt or fast-food wrapper.... 'Pick it up,' commands a booming voice from . . . where, exactly? ...Big Brother is not only watching, he's telling you what to do.... Public acceptance of closed-circuit television skyrocketed after the murder of toddler James Bulger near Liverpool in 1993.... Government authorities say their new surveillance tools not only guard against terrorists, but also against welfare cheating, illegal immigration and the juvenile delinquents who pose a problem in many of Britain's cities.... These days, the wrongdoer sometimes is merely someone who gets caught riding a bicycle in the downtown pedestrians-only zone. 'Please dismount from the bicycle,' the offender is told, by someone, somewhere." See Orwell's 1984

September 2007

Big Brother is watching us all: "The US and UK governments are developing increasingly sophisticated gadgets to keep individuals under their surveillance. ... Gait DNA, for example, is creating an individual code for the way I walk. Their goal is to invent a system whereby a facial image can be matched to your gait, your height, your weight and other elements, so a computer will be able to identify instantly who you are. 'As you walk through a crowd, we'll be able to track you,' said Professor Challapa.... Interestingly, we, the public, don't seem to mind....

"...the human body gives off such sensitive radio signals, that it can even pick up breathing and heart rates. ... And 10 years from now, the technology will be much smarter. We'll scan a person with one of these things and tell what they're actually thinking.." See Re-inventing the World

Gentag to Commercialize Super RFID Technology: "Super RFID technology uses long-range radar responsive (RR) tags, so named during their initial development for the military.... Gentag's RR tags can be read from a distance of up to 12 miles, using highly sensitive interrogators. Readers range from 5 watts (for small applications, such as within a building) to 100 watts (for broad-range search-and-rescue purposes).... At a hospital, for instance, only three fixed readers would typically be needed, he says—one on the roof, and two in the parking area or on the campus perimeter. 'Therefore, the triangulation can be created and people can know exactly where doctors are [and] who is going out of the hospital when they are not supposed to.'"

VeriMed System for Patient Identification: "VeriMed System for patient identification selected by 640 Hospitals. 1,387 physicians elect to offer VeriMed to their patients."

Microchip implants cause fast-growing, malignant tumors in lab animals: "...a series of research articles spanning more than a decade found that mice and rats injected with glass-encapsulated RFID transponders developed malignant, fast-growing, lethal cancers in up to 1% to 10% of cases.... Albrecht expressed concern for those who have received a chip implant, urging them to get the devices removed as soon as possible.... 'Why would anyone take the risk of having a cancer chip in their arm?"

August 2007

New airport agents check for danger in fliers' facial expressions: "Specially trained security personnel are watching body language and facial cues of passengers for signs of bad intentions. The watcher could be the attendant who hands you the tray for your laptop or the one standing behind the ticket-checker....They're called Behavior Detection Officers, and they're part of several recent security upgrades....

     "At the heart of the new screening system is a theory that when people try to conceal their emotions, they reveal their feelings in flashes.... Fear and disgust are the key ones, he said, because they're associated with deception. Behavior detection officers work in pairs. Typically, one officer sizes up passengers openly while the other seems to be performing a routine security duty.... Jay M. Cohen, undersecretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology, said in May that he wants to automate passenger screening by using videocams and computers to measure and analyze heart rate, respiration, body temperature and verbal responses as well as facial micro-expressions."

     Do you wonder if fearless terrorists might pass the test, while tired travelers, fearful of such subjective surveillance, could found guilty?

Domestic Use of Spy Satellites To Widen: "The Bush administration has approved a plan to expand domestic access to some of the most powerful tools of 21st-century spycraft, giving law enforcement officials and others the ability to view data obtained from satellite and aircraft sensors that can see through cloud cover and even penetrate buildings and underground bunkers. ...Department of Homeland Security said that officials envision 'more robust access' not only to imagery but also to 'the collection, analysis and production skills and capabilities of the intelligence community."

China Enacting a High-Tech Plan to Track People: "At least 20,000 police surveillance cameras are being installed along streets here in southern China and will soon be guided by sophisticated computer software from an American-financed company to recognize automatically the faces of police suspects and detect unusual activity. ...spreading across Shenzhen, a city of 12.4 million people, residency cards fitted with powerful computer chips programmed by the same company will be issued to most citizens. Data on the chip will include... work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord’s phone number. Even personal reproductive history will be included, for enforcement of China’s controversial 'one child' policy.

      "Plans are being studied to add credit histories, subway travel payments and small purchases charged to the card. ... 'If they do not get the permanent card, they cannot live here, they cannot get government benefits, and that is a way for the government to control the population in the future,' said Michael Lin, the vice president for investor relations at China Public Security Technology....

     "The role of American companies in helping Chinese security forces has periodically been controversial...." See Persecution in China and Revelation 13

Pentagon to implant microchips in soldiers' brains: "The Department of Defense is planning to implant microchips in soldiers' brains for monitoring their health information, and has already awarded a $1.6 million contract to the Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and Biochips (C3B) at Clemson University for the development of an implantable 'biochip'. Soldiers fear that the biochip, about the size of a grain of rice, which measures and relays information on soldiers vital signs 24 hours a day, can be used to put them under surveillance even when they are off duty."

July 2007

Google 'will be able to keep tabs on us all': "The internet will hold so much digital data in five years that it will be possible to find out what an individual was doing at a specific time and place.... Sir Stephen Lander, the head of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and former head of MI5, defended surveillance by the government [said] 'Significant intrusion into the privacy of a small minority is justified to protect the safety and wellbeing of the majority." See Reinventing the World Part 3: Global Standards

Microchips mulled for HIV carriers in Indonesia's Papua: "Lawmakers in Indonesia's Papua are mulling the selective use of chip implants in HIV carriers to monitor their behaviour in a bid to keep them from infecting others.... 'Some of the infected people experience a change of behaviour and can turn more aggressive and would not think twice of infecting others....' [John] Manangsang said." See Resisting Immorality

June 2007

The "cashless" implant society draws closer: "Despite serious health concerns, which even the AMA acknowledges, they push for the implants.... 'These devices may present physical risks to the patient. Though they are removable, their small size allows them to migrate under the skin, making them potentially difficult to extract. However, this tendency may be minimized by constructing RFID tags from materials that permit surrounding tissue to encase the device. In addition, RFID tags may cause electromagnetic interference, which may interfere with electrosurgical devices and defibrillators. Finally, it has not been determined whether RFID tags might affect the efficacy of pharmaceuticals.'...

"Well, look upon the bright side. At this time, they have thrown us 'paranoids' a little temporary hope by suggesting that ethically there should be 'informed consent' [to using the implants.]" See No Place to Hide?

Fingerprinting School Children : "Religion has become acceptable because it has been put in a box by secular liberalism. Where it has not been, it scares me stiff," said J. Adair Turner, Senior Adviser and Vice-Chairman, Merrill Lynch, United Kingdom, in a table discussion led by session Moderator Yezid Sayigh, Academic Director, Cambridge Programme for Security in International Society, Centre of International Studies, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. "Until secularism won, all religions were dangerous," said Turner. All fundamentalisms were especially dangerous, including the radical evangelism of the United States. Participants at the table agreed that it is virtually impossible for a politician openly proclaiming to be non-religious or agnostic, let alone atheist, to win major public office in the US. Sir Lawrence Freedman, Head, School of Social Science and Public Policy, King’s College, University of London, United Kingdom, felt most religious people are not naturally compromisers. Turner said Marxism and Fascism had also been forms of religion with single truths. Sayigh suggested nationalism also sometimes takes on a religious garb. See Homeland Security and the transformation of America

May 2007

History of the Check-in app (part 4): "We began working with Prestonwood Baptist Church to define what self check-in should look like. It was important that the process be fast, that the system couldn’t be 'gamed', different behaviors could be established for a family vs. a youth event, check-in options were limited to reduce complexity, and that the look/presentation was custom to the church.... Currently the product requires that the member have a 'quick pass' type bar code that can be scanned.... The system looks great too! Shep Boy graphics built a handful of themes...." See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?

April 2007

A Note from Dr. Katherine Albrecht: "Checkpoint Systems has actually developed a product tag that combines anti-theft and RFID tracking capabilities... If they are not stopped, Checkpoint and Sensormatic will soon be hiding these dual-use tracking devices in your belongings, where they will be able to silently and secretly transmit information about you to marketers, criminals, and Big Brother."

March 2007

DHS official urges caution on sharing of biometric info: "'There were major security holes' at U.S. entry points prior to the Sept. 11 attacks, said Stewart Baker, DHS assistant secretary for policy, at the department's International Conference on Biometrics and Ethics in Washington.... Speaking with reporters following his speech, Baker cited a Sept. 11 commission recommendation calling for the creation of a new system for sharing information. But biometric and other identifying information should not be used 'willy-nilly,' he cautioned." See The emerging New World Order

Technology development that will impact your business: "GS1 is the name newly assigned to EAN International. EAN International began in 1974 with 12 European countries with the goal of creating a European Article Numbering (EAN) system similar to the UPC number in the United States. GS1’s mission is to obtain global standardization of article identification. GS1 US is the name newly assigned to UCC (Uniform Code Council). The UCC is responsible for assigning U.P.C. codes to companies. They are also responsible for the conversion to 14-digit GTINs (Global Trade Identification Numbers). In order to obtain a U.P.C. code, your organization must become a member of the UCC."

What about all the small companies that can't afford membership and the paperwork it requires? See Surveillance

Invisible tattoo ink for chipless RFID: "A startup company developing chipless RFID ink has tested its product on cattle and laboratory rats. ...it is 100% biocompatible and chemically inert. He also said it is safe for people and animals.... Pydynowski said it takes five to 10 seconds to 'stamp or tattoo' an animal, and there is no need to remove the fur. The ink remains in the dermal layer, and a reader can detect it from 4 feet away. ... It's a very scary proposition when you're dealing with humans, but with military personnel, we're talking about saving soldiers' lives and it may be something worthwhile." See Signs of the Times

RFID: Tracking everything, everywhere: "Proponents envision a pervasive global network of millions of receivers along the entire supply chain -- in airports, seaports, highways, distribution centers, warehouses, retail stores, and in the home. ....'We'll put a radio frequency ID tag on everything that moves.'...

"RFID would expand marketers' ability to monitor individuals' behavior to undreamt of extremes. ... [A]pplications could include shopping carts that automatically bill consumers' accounts, refrigerators that report their contents to the supermarket for re-ordering, and interactive televisions that select commercials based on the contents of a home's refrigerator. ... RFID tags coupled with indoor receivers installed in shelves, floors, and doorways, could provide a degree of omniscience about consumer behavior that staggers the imagination. .... Enter again the health surveillance connection...." See An International Information System

February 2007

Oops! Did Verichip have a 'senior moment?': "VeriChip Corporation, the much-hated purveyor of the VeriChip human ID implant, is airing its dirty laundry this week. This is not by choice, mind you, but because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) required the company to disclose its 'risk factors'.... 'Potential investors should be told how a hacker can simply walk by a chipped person and clone his or her VeriChip signal...' says McIntyre." See No Place to Hide?

Future of Driving: "ANPR [automatic number plate recognition] exists today in 150 U.S. cities in the form of 'red light cameras:' Violate a stop light and a camera snaps your picture and sends you a ticket in the mail. These cameras are now being joined by 'speed cameras.'...

     "Tony Blair's government will complete the task this year of networking the country's 2,000 traffic cameras and interlacing them with thousands of anti-crime cameras.... Virtually every journey taken by car in the United Kingdom will be tracked.... With traffic safety in hand, the aim next is to 'deny criminals use of the roads.'...

     "Critics also notice the incentive for operators to shorten the duration of yellow lights to ring up more fines.... Surveillance cameras have already been outfitted with face-recognition capability in some jurisdictions. The U.S. federal government recently postponed an urge to make 'black boxes' mandatory in cars, but don't doubt that all vehicles will someday have data recorders on-board.... When enforcement becomes robotic, citizens become children.... It will not make us better citizens."

      But compliant citizens are less likely to resist the New World Order. See Brainwashing in America

Surveillance. Health chief pushes cohesive U.S. system : "Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt told a City Club audience Tuesday about four cornerstones that could become the foundation for a national health-care system....

     "Doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and labs would be connected electronically. Patients could communicate with doctors via e-mail or make appointments on the Internet. Pharmacists would fill electronic prescriptions. Health-care providers would share electronic health records to provide patient care. Today, 85 percent of health records are still on paper, Leavitt said, calling for the nation's doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and labs to adopt electronic medical record systems in the next five years. The medical records would have to be connected so they could be shared and accessed anywhere...." See No Place to Hide?

January 2007

Maine rejects Real ID Act: "Both chambers of the Maine legislature approved a resolution saying the state flatly 'refuses' to force its citizens to use driver's licenses that comply with digital ID standards, which were established under the 2005 Real ID Act http://tinyurl.com/3qdv4....The vote represents a political setback for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security..." See The Pizza Choice Game

Previous summaries on this topic: Surveillance-1 or Surveillance-2

New links: 2007 - 2008

Older links: 2003 and earlier