Irene North of Project Censored wrote this post:
What’s going on in Australia?
First, the country started moving towards internet filters and censorship on a scale only seen in China. Then, they wanted ISP data retention on all net activity. Now, they want to link passports to internet activity.
While the government is denying it would capture individual browsing histories, unnamed sources from ISPs are saying that the original data set sent to ISPs from the government said that they’d require allied personal information, including passport numbers.
Why does the Australian government need any of this information? A passport is a travel document that allows people to travel to other countries. What is the purpose of tying it to their online activity?
Since each household has numerous devices connected to the internet, how is the ISP to discern whether dad or one of this kids was on the xbox? Some households share a computer. How is an ISP to know which member of the household is on the computer at any given time? What about people who don’t have passports? Where is their data going to be linked to? Will they be forced to get a passport?
Given the fact that the Australian government already uses a national facial recognition database for people who have been arrested, that they want to implement it for driver’s licenses, and that the RTA in New South Wales has admitted converting people’s faces into biometic identifiers, one has to wonder exactly what the hell is happening in Australia.
ZDNet has an interesting, in-depth look at the situation.
“[They're] asking us to retain data for law enforcement purposes that, under existing privacy laws, we would be breaking the law if we retained for any longer than for operational purposes,” the source said.
“The Attorney-General’s Department doesn’t get it,” the source said. “They don’t get it that … a proxy log isn’t just a [network] switch. They think [that], because it is a computer, to say ‘retain the data’ is a minor step.”
We are reminded that this scheme is another decision made by politicians who fear a technology that they don’t understand, assuming that everything can be fixed by the flick of a switch. All of these decisions were, again, done in secret. The public, who will be most affected by these schemes, were left out of the discussion.
If politicians actually understood how the internet worked, they would know that using SSL at google and on POP3 email would get around their filters. Services, such as iPredator, will help you circumvent data tracking.
These schemes are always introduced as a means to track terrorism or kiddie fiddlers, but they always end up being used against the public at large for mostly idiotic reasons. Anyone with a little knowledge, including criminals, will easily circumvent this system. It will be innocent people who end up having their information tracked.
Schemes like these are deemed to fail as measures meant to protect children from evil. You will not save a child from facing abuse from family members and family friends. You will not stop terrorism because no terrorist is stupid enough to look up rail plans, nuclear power plant plans, etc. without a VPN or proxy.
There are no guarantees from the government that this information will not be used against dissidents or any behavior deemed unsuitable by the current administration. Australians need to speak up now, before a search of their internet history is needed to leave the country.
The technetronic era involves the gradual appearance of a more controlled society. Such a society would be dominated by an elite, unrestrained by traditional values. Soon it will be possible to assert almost continuous surveillance over every citizen and maintain up-to-date complete files containing even the most personal information about the citizen. These files will be subject to instantaneous retrieval by the authorities.’
Zbigniew Brzezinski, Between Two Ages: America’s Role in the Technetronic Era, 1970
Think about it.
Compare Australia's maneuvering to Iceland's initiative.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211062&q=216088356&qz=f14717
Soros' group opposes the European Union's net filtering initiatives.
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/information/focus/policy/articles_publications/publications/edri-blocking-100606?utm_source=Open+Society+Institute&utm_campaign=8707338255-OSI_News_20100616&utm_medium=email
Lebanon measure would throttle net.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=210983&q=215906466&qz=7f8e34
A report on interrogation experiments:
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/focus/security/articles_publications/publications/phr-torture-report-20100607?utm_source=Open+Society+Institute&utm_campaign=8707338255-OSI_News_20100616&utm_medium=email
Israelis quietly admit to economic warfare.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/06/14/who-knew-that-israeli-blockade-is-economic-warfare/
Israeli video footage, released after the Gaza flotilla raid, is termed fraudulent.
http://dailycensored.com/2010/06/13/israel-video-of-soldiers-attacked-on-gaza-flotilla-an-obvious-forgery-see-video-for-yourself/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Dailycensored+%28Daily+Censored%29
Journalists describe flotilla action.
http://www.thiscantbehappening.net/node/101
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11340.shtml
White House reaction to Israel's "independent" flotilla probe, with foreign participation, shows that the White House quietly opposes an international or UN probe -- tending to confirm that Rahm Emanuel gave assent to the action in advance.
The Palestinian human rights advocate and Israeli citizen jailed for espionage argues that he is a frame-up victim but that he didn't knuckle under to harsh interrogation tactics (which he apparently was not permitted to describe).
Here is a translation found at Jewish Peace News, an Israeli organization:
May 30, 2010
Letter from Gilboa Prison, Ameer Makhoul
After being allowed to get a pen and a piece of paper, which has been banned for the last three weeks, and after being allowed to get out of my total isolation, it's a moment to write a short letter from my jail (Gilboa).
It's a great opportunity for me to express my sincere thanks, greetings & appreciation to all the colleagues, friends and solidarity groups, organizations & persons, internationals, Arabs in the region, Israelis & Palestinians in the homeland & in the Diaspora. A very special salute to all those who visited my family and supported them after the trauma they passed in May 6 & since that late night.
It's a moment to express my great appreciation to all the international & local human rights organizations which raised their voices loudly.
Also to Ittijah partner organizations all around the world which supported my/our struggle for justice and for a fair trial in order to get to prove my innocence.
Physically I am still suffering very much but morally it's a great feeling to know what solidarity means.
My story is that the Israeli intelligence, "the shabak", assumed something without knowing & without any evidence. I was requested and forced to explain to them in a very detailed way how exactly I did what I didn’t do, ever. In case of any logical problem for them to complete the puzzle, they have the legal tools to fill it in by so-called secret evidence, which my lawyers and I have no legal right to know about.
According to the media in Israel, I'm already guilty, a terrorist & a supporter terror. The rule of the game here is that I’m guilty whether or not I prove that I'm not. This collective assumption is prior to court & trial procedures.
The abuse of evidence & fair legal procedures are crucial. The Shabak can tell lies to the court by so called "secret evidence", "banning meetings with lawyers", "banning the publication of information,” “imposing total isolation” & other very sophisticated ways of torture, which leave no direct evidence although it is very harsh. (See Adalah: http://www.adalah.org/). I believe that my case is an opportunity to examine these tools as tools for the criminalization of human rights defenders.
I would like to highlight again your support & solidarity. I look to it as a very essential & crucial message of support the victim and to stop the oppressor. Thank you. Let us continue with the way for justice, human dignity, human rights and ensuring an opportunity for a fair trial.
Sincerely,
Ameer Makhoul
An insider's view of the Manning-Wikileaks affair.
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/
Leak crackdown leaves empty seats.
http://www.ire.org/IREConference2010/uncategorized/risky-business-how-nonprofit-collaborations-imperil-confidential-sourcing
Reporter hit with high FOI fees.
http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=11452
Accuracy in Media is establishing a Center for Investigative Journalism.
They want to go after Obama et al to expose socialistic machinations. More power to 'em. Not because of their particular ideological perspective but because the probability is that their newly hired reporters will dig up at least a few important stories.
Socialists give commentator hard time.
http://cpj.org/2010/06/venezuelan-columnist-sentenced-to-prison-for-defam.php
Tunisia sees free press advocates as economic threat.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=210873&q=215783905&qz=f7f9d8
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