living in boxes happily tucked away from one another; watched and monitored every moment from a multitude of angles. ‘civilized society.’

we almost deserve the oppression we’ve allowed to manifest and is about to be unleashed. how foolish all of this is.

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Washington Times | Big Brother alert: Cameras in the cable box to monitor TV viewers

beatyourselfup:

It hardly gets more Orwellian than this. New technology would allow cable companies to peer directly into television watchers’ homes and monitor viewing habits and reactions to product advertisements.

The technology would come via the cable box, and at least one lawmaker on Capitol Hill is standing in opposition.

Mass. Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano has introduced a bill, the We Are Watching You Act, to prohibit the technology on boxes and collection of information absent consumer permission. The bill would also require companies that do use the data to show “we are watching you” messages on the screen and to explain just what kinds of information is being captured and for what reasons, AdWeek reported.

The technology includes cameras and microphones that are installed on DVRs or cable boxes and analyzes viewers’ responses, behaviors and statements to various ads — and then provides advertisements that are targeted to the particular household.

Specifically, the technology can monitor sleeping, eating, exercising, reading and more, AdWeek reported.

“This may sound preposterous, but it’s neither a joke nor an exaggeration,” said Mr. Capuano in a statement, AdWeek reported. “These DVRs would essentially observe consumers as they watch television as a way to super-target ads. It is an incredible invasion of privacy.”

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/17/big-brother-alert-cameras-cable-box-monitor-tv-vie/#ixzz2WiycjGPg 
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

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Your iPhone Could Be Disabled During The Next Protest You Attend

stopprism:

If you don’t think this has anything to do with the NSA, think again. These records will be used against you - it’s no longer about the court of law, but the court of public perception. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev still has not had a trial and likely won’t for years, but the public media has already dug deep into his personal history in order to craft a narrative worthy of public hate.

The same can happen to you.

beatyourselfup:

The next time you’re at a concert and you whip out your iPhoneto record  the excitement, you may notice it doesn’t work. During the show you keep trying to turn it on but for some reason it just won’t light-up.

But miraculously when you go outside when the concert is over, your phone all of a sudden works again. This can happen to you at the next concert you attend or maybe inside the next movie theater you go to.

Apple has received a patent that would allow the company to turn off its mobile devices in areas that are deemed inappropriate for recording or taking pictures. The new technology would also have the ability to shut down communication functions in devices, so people couldn’t text or make phone calls if they’re in areas that are considered sensitive.

Here’s what’s written on the patent:

“This policy enforcement capability is useful for a variety of reasons, including for example to disable noise and/or light emanating from wireless devices (such as at a movie theater), for preventing devices from communicating with other wireless devices (such as in academic settings), and for forcing certain electronic devices to enter ‘sleep mode’ when entering a sensitive area.”

Many believe this new patent could be a good thing, as it can remove the power from movie bootleggers or cut off communication from a group of up-to-no-gooders in an airport let’s say, but it could also harm the public’s ability to document wrongdoing.

Read More

“We don’t want you recording what we’re doing with your phone, so we’re going to use wireless signals to stop you from exercising your 1st Amendment right while we taze and beat the shit out of you”

Anyone remember the B.A.R.T. incident?

i really want to see someone take inspiration from the Raspberry Pi technology and turn that kind of approach to tech to DIY mobile phone devices. Hack cell towers, 3D print phone bodies and just sell assemble-it-yourself phone parts online. or something. its only a matter of time.

(via anarchovelocirachel)

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