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Florida Activates System For Citizens To Call Each Other Terrorists

Posted by Soulskill on from the won't-ever-be-misused-ever dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Sheriffs in 13 Northeast Florida counties announced an online system Thursday for residents to report suspicious activity they think may be terrorism-related. The site provides examples of red flags to watch for, such as people with an unusual interest in building plans or who are purchasing materials useful in bomb making. Important places to watch include hobby stores and dive shops."

8 of 501 comments (clear)

  1. The Haystack by Mystakaphoros · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because the best way to find a needle in a haystack is to dump increasing amounts of hay on top.

    1. Re: The Haystack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It is kinda funny to see so many references to needles and haystacks crop up since Schneier said that, but despite the unoriginality of the people who quote it, I think the reason it's so often quoted is that Schneier managed to finally articulate something a lot of intelligent (but not so eloquent) people have been thinking for a long time. Ditto with XKCD -- it taps deep into the geek mind and displays the results with wit and elan. People read Schneier (or XKCD) and because they are well-written and well presented, they think "oh my gosh, he *gets* it." So of course they're going to repeat it.

      Anyway, snark all you want, but the unoriginality of an oft-quoted argument has no bearing on the merits of said argument.

  2. Re:Really??? by mwvdlee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No, you use 9-1-1 for real threats involving actual terrorists.
    This is for increasing the level of fear in citizens in order to make privacy invasion more acceptable.

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  3. Glad I'm in Pennsylvania by scotts13 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...Otherwise, I'd be spending all my time talking to the cops. I'd probably set off every single alarm that's on their "suspicious activity" list. I'm active in hobby rocketry, and sometimes transport my engines in surplus bazooka shell cases. Plus, the girlfriend is a dive instructor.

    Hey, anyone remember the 50's and 60's? One the AWFUL things were were told about the Soviet system was the constant suspicion - people encouraged to turn in their neighbors, children encouraged to turn in their parents... (SIGH)

  4. Witchcraft? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wow, if you replace the word 'terrorism' with 'witchcraft' - it sort of reads like a document from Salem, MA circa 1692.

  5. Re:Really??? by Mystakaphoros · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is for increasing the level of fear in citizens in order to make privacy invasion more acceptable.

    And since it will be the police getting the reports, how do you figure it will increase the level of fear in citizens?

    The first time local law enforcement says, "Reports of terrorism are up 900% this year; we need an increased budget to deal with the increased threat."

  6. Re:Well color me not surprised. by miffo.swe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The Stasi was primarily an organ of political control"

    Do you think for one second that Stasi did not use the exact same rhetoric as NSA, Homeland Security etc? What they did and what people in east germany thought they did are not at all the same.

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  7. Re:Really??? by screwdriver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Pretty soon it will be illegal to have a hobby. Just consume your goods and go to work like a good little citizen. I'd rather be a victim of a terrorist than live in that society.