Yes, such an event has happend, at least it has been reported by different news sources here in Germany. An Iranian citizen which was held in custody convinced the local authorities to be allowed to make a call to the Secret Service. The call was hung up after the Iranian told he was being held in custody.
It is the question whether wire-tapping measures are worth the loss of civil rights. I personally believe this not the case. Why ?
Where is the rationale ? Just because an agency can listen to anything does not mean it understands everything. Starting with encryption, steganography, old languages and simply replacing meanings of words, the information being gathered does not have to be of any value at all. The more there is a legal or illegal interest to keep it save and secured, the better it will be protected. In the time before the attack, there have been good reasons against all-embracing surveillance; suddenly they are emotionally washed away with tragic images of losses and tears.
Where is the protection from abuse ? You do not know whether you have been tapped, nor where the information gathered are being distributed to. In case of a misuse or misinterpretation of information, your reputation is not being restored. Ranging from corporate espionage to political campaigns, this has drastic consequences.
Where is the proof of effectivity ? In the wake of CNN images, the rational discussion about how effective these measures really are have been quite rare. Although I would like to read a study concerning this matter, I do not know of any available scientific publication.
I am personally angry about the cheap, populistic and abusive ways this terrorist act is being reacted on in US, Germany and many other countries. Abuse in the name of those who now cannot speak up against anymore is more than tasteless.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, such an event has happend, at least it has been reported by different news sources here in Germany. An Iranian citizen which was held in custody convinced the local authorities to be allowed to make a call to the Secret Service. The call was hung up after the Iranian told he was being held in custody.
Just because an agency can listen to anything does not mean it understands everything. Starting with encryption, steganography, old languages and simply replacing meanings of words, the information being gathered does not have to be of any value at all. The more there is a legal or illegal interest to keep it save and secured, the better it will be protected. In the time before the attack, there have been good reasons against all-embracing surveillance; suddenly they are emotionally washed away with tragic images of losses and tears.
You do not know whether you have been tapped, nor where the information gathered are being distributed to. In case of a misuse or misinterpretation of information, your reputation is not being restored. Ranging from corporate espionage to political campaigns, this has drastic consequences.
In the wake of CNN images, the rational discussion about how effective these measures really are have been quite rare. Although I would like to read a study concerning this matter, I do not know of any available scientific publication.
I am personally angry about the cheap, populistic and abusive ways this terrorist act is being reacted on in US, Germany and many other countries. Abuse in the name of those who now cannot speak up against anymore is more than tasteless.