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US Working To Kill UN Privacy Resolutions
schwit1 writes with a short excerpt from The Cable "The United States and its key intelligence allies are quietly working behind the scenes to kneecap a mounting movement in the United Nations to promote a universal human right to online privacy, according to diplomatic sources and an internal American government document obtained by The Cable. American representatives have made it clear that they won't tolerate such checks on their global surveillance network."
A leaked memo containing U.S. suggestions for changes to the ICCPR includes gems like (referring to intercepting communications) "Move 'may threaten' from before 'the foundations of a democratic [society]...' to before 'freedom of expression.' We need to clarify that privacy violations could 'interfere with' freedom of expression and avoid the inaccurate suggestion that all privacy violations are violations of freedom of expression." The U.S. changes are pretty much directed at making dragnet surveillance of non-citizens technically legal.
And this is why Schneier undid 10 years NSA work on subverting encryption algorithms. Terrorists are a miniscule threat compared to our Governments and Secret Services
The US no longer has a legitimate "government (..) for the people." The UK never did, except occasionally by chance.
We know that power like this is abused and attracts those who will abuse it. We must consider whether we want our children to live in a free country.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
We need to support projects like MailPile and BitMessage. Maybe some of you know of or are working on other projects you'd care to mention.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause , supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized .
Their logic makes the Constitution nothing more than tissue paper.
- Unreasonable - Their goal of mass surveillance is most certainly guided by good sense, meaning practical judgement, and is only used in the best interests of the citizenry. Have to fight those tewwoists. Especially, the domestic ones.
- Probable cause, limitation of scope of search - With the technology available today, and the attainment of mass surveillance, probable cause is instantly established. Moreover, the scope of the search is intelligently limited at all times by the technology itself. It decides what needs the most surveillance and active involvement by those in power.
- Did it really happen? - If the citizenry does not perceive the surveillance, does it exist? Of course not. Don't be silly. Nothing exists unless you believe in it, and this is concrete proof of "Out of sight, out of mind". Privacy is what we tell them it is.
Those three points are pretty much the entire basis and rationale for the people that support the violation of the Constitution. That's being extremely kind and assuming nothing but benevolent intent, and the fact, they even give one fuck about the Constitution, the very concepts of freedom, and the idea of a government for the people and by the people
It's tragically sad at this point that the US has fallen so very far from its ideals. Give it a little bit longer on this path and quite frankly the US of 100 years ago would invade *us* to export democracy along with other countries too.
When will the UN grow some balls and levy real sanctions against the US till it cuts their shit out?