Goliath Sized Big Brother Comes to China

[cp1969]

In some cases, it's good to have security cameras around and to be able to track cell phones.

A recent murder case in Kansas City was "solved" (subject turned himself in) in only a couple days because his vehicle was caught on video and the victim's cell phone pinpointed final location.

Otherwise it would have been just another disappearance. I just wish the news media would NOT publish how the cops catch criminals. No one needs to know how the cops caught him. All it does is coach the next one.

 

[Soundguy]

Wait till that face recognition software and photo technology of satalites gets lines up from each other. then they can ID you from orbit.. and .. then.. well.. anything...

Soundguy

The RFID tracking is the scary part. The cameras can be good than can be bad. The chip tracking is a whole new ball came. I'm don't think Orwell had something this insidious in 1984. Course that was in 1984 not 2007.

The courts have long stated you don't have a right to privacy or expectation of same in public spaces. That is why I can take a picture of you in a public space and there is nothing you can legally do about it.

I'm still trying to figure out the uproar over the use of Satellites. I have read the outcry but have yet to read how the Big Bird in the Sky is going to invade my privacy over what can and does happen now. Anyone heard/read/know how/why law enforcement can abuse the Sats?

There are already planes flying around looking and taking pictures. The Po Po is using aircraft to track speeders, find drug fields, look for moonshine operations, and poachers. The courts have ruled that this is ok. The one exception I know of is the use of IR to find grow house. I can look at my house at the county GIS website. If I want a better picture I can visit and get a MUCH better image. So I'm not seeing how a photo satillite is a big deal. It might be more realtime but I don't see how that will get used except for planed raids. There are only 600,000 LEOs in the USA. Think how many people would be required to just sit and watch live sat feeds all day to Watch Over Us. The would see me cutting and splitting wood. As well as me watching chiggers die of the poison on my trousers. Danged that is exciting. Shoot they could watch me now too! Do I get an Oscar?

Now electronic satelites are something else but any eavesdropping is already covered by law. And the Po Po has the ability to hear conversations without a big bird in the sky....

Still trying to figure this one out.

Later,
Dan

 

[riptides]

For every measure - there is a counter-measure.

The best place to hide is out in the open.

-Mike Z.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm not so sure about that. i read that in some cities thay have installed cameras around the city and feed the data to face recognition software looking for people on the lam... Sounds like the 'open' aint too safe .. privacy wise, either..

Soundguy

 

[riptides]

I'm not so sure about that. i read that in some cities thay have installed cameras around the city and feed the data to face recognition software looking for people on the lam... Sounds like the 'open' aint too safe .. privacy wise, either..

Soundguy

Facial Software is another 3-5 years out. Biometrics probably 1-2. This mass recognition stuff is Hollywood.

Certain ethnic groups, age and even sex all throw loops into these technologies.

One day, I'll be worried.

-Mike Z.

 

[Soundguy]

I didn't mention 'mass recognition'

I merely mentioned technologies that are already in uses in some places. Like.. football stadiums.. etc..

Can't stick your head inthe sand on this one.

If you think the gov't doesn't have higher tech than you see on a walmart shelf.. you are just in denial...

Soundguy

 

[rox]

Tom,
I am all in favor of cameras they inhibit crime. My uncle lives in a fring neighborhood in Chicago and has been beaten up 3 times and robbed. He lives in a senior citizen buiding and everytime a senior goes out the front door they are like sitting ducks for the criminals. I mean several peopel in his building were attacked. Finally they put in street cameras and the attacks have stopped. So I am in favor of more cameras, heck I don't mind being on camera as I wait for a train ro whatever. The cops are using them as jsut another tool and they in fact are great tools.

China is not the USA, they have a different political system. From a "managment" point of view I can see how that card could be handy. I never underestimate the challenges that China faces moving out of a poor starving agraian way of life to a modern one. There are many many more challenges for the Chinese government than we have. So what we would never accept here, might be good for their country. When you move in France you have to go to city hall and register your residency and have it changed in the records.
As far as the article goes i am not one to throw stones at the Chinese. It is not for me but China is not the USA or Britan or France. They ahve a lg row to hoe.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Rox is right both on fighting the criminals and the problems China has to face.

 

[dmccarty]

There was another story in the Wall Street Journal last night about the stink over the use of Sats by local and state law enforcement. Lots of words but I did not see one example how this would limit civil liberties.

Even if the face recognition software worked 100% of the time so what? If the Po Po know who I am and I don't have a warrant for arrest what are they going to do with knowing I was at the ball game and then went for a burger afterwards? And a Sat is not going to be sitting up there being able to see my face much less follow me 24x7x365.

A UAV might be different but that nor a Sat is going to provide wide scale coverage of lots of people.

The signal intelligence sats are interesting but again show me the warrant. If the Po Po puts me in jail based on information gathered without a warrent when one was required well I get to walk away.

The Supremes ruled a few years ago that the Po Po can't use IR to detect Mary Jane grow operations. I was surprised by that decision since I figured the IR detection was in plain view even though one needed a special device. Certainly any SigInt would require a warrant and if there is some new technolgy being used the lawyers will use the IR decision as a defense if no warrant was used.

But I don't even see this kind of discussion in the news. Is all about how bad this is but not details as to why.

Later,
Dan