Cops love vaguely-worded search warrants with a wide-open net. Why they love them is no secret. These kinds of search warrants are fishing expeditions. These search warrants are massive gill nets tossed into the ocean of humanity in search of a crime to prosecute. They don't even care which crime. Any crime will do. That's the type of broad warrant the US Department of … [Read more...]
Britain’s Investigatory Powers Act Violates Privacy, Demands Back Door to Encryption
In late November Britain's Investigatory Powers Act 2016 became law. For many years the British government demanded information from telecommunications companies without legal basis. Britain's Home Secretary Theresa May admitted the British government has long abused section 94 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 for this exact purpose. The legal basis now exists but this … [Read more...]
Salt Lake City Park Apartments Demands Tenants Like them on Facebook or face Eviction
It's one of the more bizarre violations of our Right to Privacy I've ever come across: "friend" your apartment building's Facebook page or be found in breach of your rental agreement. That could mean eviction for those who refuse to "like" their apartment building on the social media platform within the 5-day window provided for in the contract. What is even more bizarre … [Read more...]
Got a password-protected Smartphone? At the Border you still kiss your Right to Privacy Away
We Canadians like to believe we have rights. We like to believe those rights are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We are fools. Our government moves to strip us of our rights every day. The latest abuse of power stripping us of our Right to Privacy comes to us courtesy of the Canadian Border Services Agency, who can now demand the password for … [Read more...]
Julie Bosman – The Epitome of Hypocrite and “Stupid Little Bitch”
For those who don't know, Julie Bosman is a journalist who works for the New York Times. That's the title the New York Times gives her, anyway. I call her an irresponsible and hypocritical little bitch who felt it was her absolute right to violate the privacy of Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson. Officer Darren Wilson hit the national stage when he shot and killed … [Read more...]
Why do American Doctors want to know if Patients own Firearms?
Why do American family physicians want to know if their patients own Firearms before treating them for [insert medical issue here]? The only doctor who will ask you about gun ownership before treating you is a doctor who hates guns. Any doctor who hunts or target shoots or believes in your Right to Self-Defense isn’t going to ask the question. He won’t care. It’s only … [Read more...]
Our Right to Privacy vs Police Need to Investigate Crime – Who Wins?
Police want easy access to personal information, generally with the assurance that they will not misuse the data they collect. The trouble is they almost always misuse the data, or if that statement seems too unfair, they often use it in ways never intended and they said they would never do. Take the testimony of Scott Naylor of the Ontario Provincial Police before the … [Read more...]
Are You A Terrorist or do you simply Value Your Privacy?
In digging through some information on another subject I stumbled across a copy of the moronic information pamphlet released by the FBI, titled "Communities Against Terrorism - Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities", in its efforts to curb terrorism by creating a cadre of informants. I'd forgotten about this pamphlet and I think a short review is in order so we all know … [Read more...]
EFF Report- Who is Protecting Your Data from Government Requests?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) constantly fights for our right to privacy on the Internet. It's an organization every single person who values privacy ought to support financially, as they are continually beating back Leviathan when it comes to issues of personal privacy online. In this fourth-annual report, EFF examines the publicly-available policies of major … [Read more...]
Is an Encrypted Social Network Possible? Three Montreal Computer Students Say Yes
Syme brings privacy to your group conversations by encrypting everything you share. With the look of Google Plus and Facebook-like elements, a new social network named "Syme" feels as cozy as a well-worn shoe. But beneath the familiar veneer, it's quite different. Syme encrypts all content, such as status updates, photos and files, so that only people invited to a group can … [Read more...]
US Department of Justice: We don’t need no stinking warrants
US Department of Justice says, “We don’t need no stinking warrants.” It’s always reassuring when the minions of the state do precisely the opposite of what they ought. Instead of protecting and defending the rights of we “mere citizens” they violate those rights instead. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) obtained a copy of an FBI investigation manual which The … [Read more...]
Bill C-30’s invasions of privacy and warrantless searches are outrageous, but all the other Acts are just fine?
Bruce Cockburn wrote a famous song that contained the line “The trouble with normal is it only gets worse.” The same can be said for governments. They always get worse, too. The current so-called Conservative government is a perfect example of this, and Vic Toews unwittingly tried using this to his advantage. He quickly discovered, much to his dismay, that Canadians … [Read more...]
Inside the Prime Minister’s Office after Vic Toews called all Canadians child pornographers
This video contains language not suitable for all audiences, as the saying goes, but is absolutely hilarious nevertheless. This clip has floated around the internet for some time, but never in the context of opposing Bill C-30. If you have a sense of humour, enjoy. And while you're here, how about downloading my Stop Bill C-30 WordPress plugin and installing it on your … [Read more...]
Protect Your Right to Privacy and Help Stop Bill C-30
The Conservative Government of Stephen Harper has introduced Bill C-30, disingenuously named the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act. This Act seeks to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide police with your personal private information WITHOUT A SEARCH WARRANT. Warrantless searches are not something Canadians should tolerate or be subjected to. If … [Read more...]
Freedom of Speech vs Right to Privacy
Recently the folks at Westboro Baptist Church have been back in the news with their high-profile, if tacky protests at military funerals around the nation. The story spread like wildfire through the blogosphere about how the lunatics from Westboro Baptist Church were prevented from protesting at the funeral of USMC Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers, killed in action in Afghanistan on … [Read more...]