“Do as I say, not as I do.”

Published on October 2, 2014 By DrJBHL In Personal Computing

Yeah. Who do you think you are, the NSA, GCHQ, etc.? They summons any of your info they want. They hire hackers to program the most intrusive applications possible, etc.

In this post 9/11 world with news about hackers every day, sabotage of Iran’s centrifuges, Sony, Home Depot and Target data losses and you running around changing passwords everywhere, who’s going to argue?

They create laws to prove how much they honor the Fourth Amendment or your privacy…and “come down hard” on people who do…well…pretty much what they do. That’s because they maintain that when a government does it, that’s ok because it’s for your “security”.

Some of it…maybe even most of it is. But, to guard your privacy they invade yours because, if it’s ok to check Joe Blow, it’s equally ok to check you. Fair is fair.

But don’t worry: The FISA Court protects you. Sure it does.

Anyway, rant over. Today’s topic explains it all. Case in point?

“Hammad Akbar, CEO of StealthGenie, had been arrested in Los Angeles and charged with conspiracy, advertisement of a known interception device, advertising a device as a surreptitious interception device and sale of such a device. StealthGenie, which had been available on iOS, Android and BlackBerry, was known for providing an app capable of monitoring someone's calls, texts and photos, as well as tracking their location and more.” – engadget

Well, the PRC is doing it to their people and your cell phone company tracked you “to improve quality of service provided” (yeah, like anyone swallowed that one) and everyone under the sun sells your data (but doesn’t identify you actually - of course the metadata sure does), poor Hammad. He just wanted to be the NSA. I also wonder what else he did with all that information and to whom he sold it.

Sen. Al Franken maintains that, "People ought to be able to control who can access their sensitive information, and stalking apps on cellphones directly violate that principle." A lofty stand, and absolutely correct imo.

Then he went on to state, “Currently, there is no federal law banning the secret collection of location data. That's why we need to pass my legislation to ban stalking apps once and for all.” Right on, Al.

I felt like I was watching “When John, Harry, Nancy and Mitch Met The Constitution”.

You could have knocked me over with a feather. Of course there’s no such law (just as two Presidents couldn’t finish a fence): Why have a law that you write the NSA (etc.) loopholes into anyway just to tell some people, “You’re not a member of the club that I am.”?

Don’t worry. It’s just to keep you safe.

Source:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/30/crackdown-on-spying-apps-leads-to-stealthgenie-ceos-arrest/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

https://news.yahoo.com/advanced-ios-virus-targeting-hong-kong-protesters-security-210741365.html

Comments (Page 3)

Cauldyth

on Oct 05, 2014

If your next door neighbour is getting murdered, is that none of your business? I'm guessing most of us would call the police not just out of fear for our own safety, but also because we genuinely don't want that person to get murdered.

It's easy for us to sit in our relative peace and comfort and make absolute decrees like "We will not get involved on principle." Afterwards, we get to have dinner then flop on the couch and watch TV. That's the benefit of being lucky to have been born in our respective countries. Meanwhile, there are millions of defenseless people living in the paths of these types of psychos who pay an immense price.

We shouldn't do it because we expect to be given parades and have flowers thrown at our feet, we should do it because it's the morally correct thing to do and because as humanity we should decide that this shit is unacceptable anywhere.

Wintercross

on Oct 05, 2014

Cauldyth

reply 31

I don't buy the "none of our business" argument. That's the type of "us" and "them" distinction that has dominated human history and led to these cycles of behaviour in the first place. We need to decide that we're humanity, we're not Country A and Country B, and make the first steps of acting like it.

If your next door neighbour is getting murdered, is that none of your business? I'm guessing most of us would call the police not just out of fear for our own safety, but also because we genuinely don't want that person to get murdered.

It's easy for us to sit in our relative peace and comfort and make absolute decrees like "We will not get involved on principle." Afterwards, we get to have dinner then flop on the couch and watch TV. That's the benefit of being lucky to have been born in our respective countries. Meanwhile, there are millions of defenseless people living in the paths of these types of psychos who pay an immense price.

We shouldn't do it because we expect to be given parades and have flowers thrown at our feet, we should do it because it's the morally correct thing to do and because as humanity we should decide that this shit is unacceptable anywhere.

I agree.

There are innocent, defenseless people getting slaughtered and we should get involved.
There are Christians, Muslim denominations and other faiths getting killed just because they have different beliefs.

The biggest issue, is we can't HOLD the middle east. The attitude of the people in the middle east needs to change. We can help them fight off extremists and tyrant dictators, but unless the people of these countries decided they want freedom and democracy and are ready to stand up for it they will keep falling into the same hole.

Despite that, I still feel we need to stop ISIS/ISIL (or whatever they call themselves) as soon as possible before they gain any more strength and momentum.

As an Australian, I am glad we are getting involved to stop them.

Wizard1956

on Oct 05, 2014

Cauldyth

reply 31

There just ain't enough karma I can give you for that statement. If I was 18 again, and not 58, I'd do the same thing now as I did then. Enlist to do what I could to support my country and my fellow soldiers. Fuck politics, people are dying, yours, mine, anybody's, it just ain't right. This IS the 21st century. We (humanity, et el,) should have this shit done and over with.

On that note, why don't we just send this ebola to ISIS Let them deal with desert heat and lack of water and medical attention. Go shit yourself to death, ISIS. I won't even pass you the toilet paper.

Uvah

on Oct 06, 2014

What is really needed is a much more aggressive stance with regards to ISIS. New alliances have been formed to stop them, most notably Iran, albeit a chilly one. Still ISIS is a common enemy and as such represents common ground. Everybody and their mother should put away their differences and get it together. Doing so would create a formidable force no extremist group has any chance in hell of defeating. Think about it, China's 1.5 million man standing army, combined NATO forces, Russia's up and coming military, Turkey has a very formidable one, Egypt, The UAE, the UK, Australia has one, so does New Zealand. Put them all together and ISIS hasn't got a prayer. They are everyone's enemy. Time they were treated as such.

ElanaAhova

on Oct 08, 2014

DrJBHL

reply 20

Quoting starkers,

reply 11

in doing so he increased the potential for terrorist attacks on home soil, in retaliation.

Unfortunately, that's a common misimpression. Their particular 'grievance list' and 'war' relates to everyone not exactly like them whether you have blue eyes or green. That is clear since Australia did nothing to cause the activation of their cells on your soil.

The very fact that they had cells in Australia should tell you something about their intentions. Australia? Didn't have a single cell in Iraq to 'provoke'.

Believe me: It's enough that you breathe and that you are not part of their cult.

very true. very true. Oh, did I mention, "very true." Convert or die is their motto.

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