6th February 2007 - Big Brother is watching
6th February 2007 - Big Brother is watching
I don't really go too much for conspiracy theories etc. Well I suppose I do actually (was it really an accident in the tunnel ?) but I don't really obsess about them. But I have started feeling like it is a virtually guarenteed that we will be continuous monitored sooner rather than later.
The explosion of CCTV means you get video'd nth number of times a day. Your company probably logs and archives all your web access, email and perhaps even your IM traffic. Your home ISP will be doing similar things. I've talked previously about the little black boxes Tony and his chums want to put in your car. When we inevitably move to more on demand TV the provider will have all your viewing habits. This is more or less all in place - so Big Brother is well and truely here.
The general argument is that as a law abiding citizen you have little to fear from these measures. However as we've seen in the motoring world thats fine until the rules are changed and we all become criminals. That scares me.
The flip side to all this is, that the government could save millions of pounds by using myspace - where I'm still amazed by how much information people seemed to happily give away about themselves - it's true voyeurism into peoples lives - again a worry for me as a parent etc.
So am I getting paranoid and should shut up or are you feeling the same.
Thanks
Neil
The explosion of CCTV means you get video'd nth number of times a day. Your company probably logs and archives all your web access, email and perhaps even your IM traffic. Your home ISP will be doing similar things. I've talked previously about the little black boxes Tony and his chums want to put in your car. When we inevitably move to more on demand TV the provider will have all your viewing habits. This is more or less all in place - so Big Brother is well and truely here.
The general argument is that as a law abiding citizen you have little to fear from these measures. However as we've seen in the motoring world thats fine until the rules are changed and we all become criminals. That scares me.
The flip side to all this is, that the government could save millions of pounds by using myspace - where I'm still amazed by how much information people seemed to happily give away about themselves - it's true voyeurism into peoples lives - again a worry for me as a parent etc.
So am I getting paranoid and should shut up or are you feeling the same.
Thanks
Neil
There are very few conspiracy theories that are actually important. I can think of only two and it's the truth behind them that are important rather than the circumstances of the cover up.
It doesn't really matter who killed JFK or even what happened in the tunnel. The facts (if they exist) are not going to change our lives. Big brother theories fall at the first hurdle because you'd need a veritable army of monitor watchers to see what we are all doing - these armies don't exist (and even if they did, who'd be watching them?).
It's not people who are watching us, it's computers. And they don't care who you are or what you're doing. They just send an instruction to another computer to generate the paperwork for your fine.
If Joe Bloggs thinks Tony and his cronies are interested in what he/she is doing, they need a serious reality check. The politicians are too busy being concerned about themselves to worry about the people who voted for them. Myspace or Bebo should interest them because it would be a much better avenue for them to promote themselves with all the spin they can muster.
It doesn't really matter who killed JFK or even what happened in the tunnel. The facts (if they exist) are not going to change our lives. Big brother theories fall at the first hurdle because you'd need a veritable army of monitor watchers to see what we are all doing - these armies don't exist (and even if they did, who'd be watching them?).
It's not people who are watching us, it's computers. And they don't care who you are or what you're doing. They just send an instruction to another computer to generate the paperwork for your fine.
If Joe Bloggs thinks Tony and his cronies are interested in what he/she is doing, they need a serious reality check. The politicians are too busy being concerned about themselves to worry about the people who voted for them. Myspace or Bebo should interest them because it would be a much better avenue for them to promote themselves with all the spin they can muster.
I do find it a bit worrying because it is justice by computer.
Whilst law abiding citizens have nothing to fear, it leaves everyone open to prosecution through mistaken identity, e.g. cloned number plates, or worse case scenario your cloned credit card details used to access a kiddy porn site.
I agree though Neil, kids should be educated to not leave any personal details on public sites like myspace etc. I know that a friend's daughter's school have said that kids shouldn't use bebo for some reason to do with security, don't recall what.
Whilst law abiding citizens have nothing to fear, it leaves everyone open to prosecution through mistaken identity, e.g. cloned number plates, or worse case scenario your cloned credit card details used to access a kiddy porn site.
I agree though Neil, kids should be educated to not leave any personal details on public sites like myspace etc. I know that a friend's daughter's school have said that kids shouldn't use bebo for some reason to do with security, don't recall what.
Robert
Alpina B3S Cabrio build number 250/288, Titan silver/Imola red. Now with winter hard top!
Alpina B3S Cabrio build number 250/288, Titan silver/Imola red. Now with winter hard top!
For every technology enhancement there is a greater threat to an individual civil liberty. IMHO
Allegedly (Internet Service Providers) ISPs have black boxes. Therefore do I want a geek to be looking at my personal e-mails? There is also a well-known court case where a member of staff of a major mobile telephone provider was giving his friend all of his wife’s texts messages as they were going through a divorce – if I remember correctly.
When I use my oyster card (London underground travel card) it is logged.
As Neil said. The government have been talking for sometime to introduce black boxes in cars. As we all own Alpina’s, there have been occasions where we all have driven just above the speed limit. Also a major insurance company has introduced pay as you go insurance via a black box. Do I want to be monitored all the time?
Identity theft is one of the fastest crimes in the U.K! When I am using IM or e-mailing at work, I don’t write anything personal. I also don’t do anything like personal banking or use my credit cards on their systems.
There is something else that bothers me about identity theft, but as this is an open forum – my wisdom says do not mention it. It has been in the media but not as much as I would like for me to mention it on an open forum.
Allegedly (Internet Service Providers) ISPs have black boxes. Therefore do I want a geek to be looking at my personal e-mails? There is also a well-known court case where a member of staff of a major mobile telephone provider was giving his friend all of his wife’s texts messages as they were going through a divorce – if I remember correctly.
When I use my oyster card (London underground travel card) it is logged.
As Neil said. The government have been talking for sometime to introduce black boxes in cars. As we all own Alpina’s, there have been occasions where we all have driven just above the speed limit. Also a major insurance company has introduced pay as you go insurance via a black box. Do I want to be monitored all the time?
Identity theft is one of the fastest crimes in the U.K! When I am using IM or e-mailing at work, I don’t write anything personal. I also don’t do anything like personal banking or use my credit cards on their systems.
There is something else that bothers me about identity theft, but as this is an open forum – my wisdom says do not mention it. It has been in the media but not as much as I would like for me to mention it on an open forum.
Oscar Wilde & Burkard Bovensiepen: I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.
ALPINA B3 3.2 Coupe Switch-Tronic ALPINA Blue
ALPINA B10 3.3 Saloon Manual Mora Metallic
ALPINA B3 3.2 Coupe Switch-Tronic ALPINA Blue
ALPINA B10 3.3 Saloon Manual Mora Metallic
It is for that very reason I haven't registered my oyster card and just top it up to a maximum of £20 - which I can stand to lose.nealpina wrote: When I use my oyster card (London underground travel card) it is logged.
I'm not really bothered - and to be honest my 'oyster-monitored' life is duller than dull but I see it as one more erosion of my liberty - if they really wanted to know where I was going they can more or less track the whole journey on CCTV cemeras anyway - but as Chas says there aren't enough people in the UK to be bothered monitoring someone like me !
The flip side to the CCTV bit is that if god forbid you were asaulted / mugged / whatever there is a good chance there will some evidence on a nearby CCTV - so it's not all bad.
I only registered my card so that I can pay online. TFL (Transport For London) owes me £2.50. I’ve phoned them six times and every reference number that they give me does not correspond to my previous telephone call. Their IT system is a farce.neil wrote:It is for that very reason I haven't registered my oyster card and just top it up to a maximum of £20 - which I can stand to lose.
Chas made a valid point but my argument is that can we trust the people that are controlling these systems? I know that we have the Data Protection Act but if someone has no morals and they want to make money, and if they are in a position of trust then they can abuse it. For example they control an alleged black box at your ISP and they are searching for key words like eBay, username, passwords. They will have enough information to sell whatever they like from your eBay account.
I only used eBay and an ISP alleged black box for illustration purposes only.
Oscar Wilde & Burkard Bovensiepen: I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.
ALPINA B3 3.2 Coupe Switch-Tronic ALPINA Blue
ALPINA B10 3.3 Saloon Manual Mora Metallic
ALPINA B3 3.2 Coupe Switch-Tronic ALPINA Blue
ALPINA B10 3.3 Saloon Manual Mora Metallic
Neil,
i dont think your being paranoid just concerned.
I used to have these thoughts and i think there are some valid points in this topic. However i am much to busy running my business looking after my fiancee and child (things i can control) to be worried about big brother (things i cant control).
Steve.
i dont think your being paranoid just concerned.
I used to have these thoughts and i think there are some valid points in this topic. However i am much to busy running my business looking after my fiancee and child (things i can control) to be worried about big brother (things i cant control).
Steve.
RS4 Saloon 2007 Daytona Grey
M6 Coupe Indianapolis Red
ML420CDI Sport
M6 Coupe Indianapolis Red
ML420CDI Sport
Are you really sure you are in control or is that the impression she is giving you? They are very clever at this sort of thing - believe you me!Steve Ashton wrote:... looking after my fiancee and child (things i can control)...
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!