NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] How long before DHS has "Gorgon Stare" above *our* cities?
How long before DHS has "Gorgon Stare" above *our* cities?
http://bit.ly/h1lJHN (Google Buzz)
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The Washington Post has an article today about the latest surveillance
toy ostensibly designed for military use abroad -- "Gorgon Stare" --
reportedly capable of aerial surveillance of an entire town or city.
http://bit.ly/g9LnkQ (Washington Post)
Supposedly designed for immediate use in Afghanistan (where critics contend
"boots on the ground surveillance and contacts" may be far more
effective), the Post includes one "throwaway" line of particular note:
"The Department of Homeland Security is exploring the technology's
potential, an industry official said."
Given U.S. authorities' continuing mantra that "we have no expectation of
privacy in public places" -- one can only imagine the salivating over
technology like this that must already be taking place at DHS.
In particular, this is a prime example of why people who spend their
time harassing Google over static satellite and Street View imagery
(that have very useful applications for ordinary consumers) are so far
off target.
Real-time technologies like vast CCTV networks and Gorgon Stare,
capable of observing large areas and recording the resulting live data
to be held and used for indefinitely long periods, should be receiving
our own "stare" of criticism and concern. These are the technologies
so easily abused, not static images of driveways and houses that are
typically months or even years old.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com)
http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
Co-Founder, PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility): http://www.pfir.org
Founder, NNSquad (Network Neutrality Squad): http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, GCTIP (Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance):
http://www.gctip.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/lauren-buzz