On 6/21/2016 11:58 AM, Kate Krauss wrote:
If we sign this, will black sedans w/ dark windows park outside our homes? Will records of our bank accounts or financial holdings suddenly disappear? :) 8-(Greetings, Tor Talkers! The US Department of Justice is trying to institute new rules that would let the FBI hack computers that use Tor and other privacy-protecting technologies--all over the world. EFF and Tor are asking you to sign a petition or (if you are a US person in the US) send a note to a member of Congress to stop this. For background, check out our blog post: https://blog.torproject.org/blog/day-action-stop-changes-rule-41 TO TAKE ACTION---> go to torproject.org or stopglobalwarrants.org Judges would still need a warrant, but under the new rules, those warrants could apply to thousands more people--and computers and phones anywhere are vulnerable if they use privacy-protecting technology like Tor or a VPN. The rules are an amendment to Rule 41 of the US Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (rules for US judges). They will go into effect on December 1, unless we stop them. They would greatly empower US law enforcement to snoop into people's computers -- making sweeping changes to US policy through a technicality--without Congressional oversight. Picture the abuses against journalists, members of Congress, activists, or everyday citizens that could occur under these new rules if the DOJ (and FBI) get their way. EFF and Tor have partnered to launch this Day of Action designed to raise the profile of this critical issue. Please sign the petition or email a member of Congress using the banner at TorProject.org or the campaign's website: NoGlobalWarrants.org--but remember that the new rules will apply to computers and phones all over the world--so everyone's voice is critical, no matter where you live. US Senator Ron Wyden is leading a bipartisan effort to defeat the rules with a bill called the "Stop Mass Hacking Act" (#SMHAct)--so that's a good hashtag for Twitter. Spread the word! Forward this email! Tweet out the news! Protect the right to privacy! Cheers, Katie @TorProject
Not that LEAs or pro Big Brother politicians (world wide) care, but is there any difference in mass surveillance of electronic surveillance w/o probably cause, and *mass* listening to citizens in their homes w/o probable cause, using powerful microphones? They could mount unmanned, directional listening devices on utility poles (where exist), or make new TVs, light fixtures, etc., w/ hidden cameras / microphones & listen to as many as they want "just to be safe."
There's literally no end once any countries start violating their constitutions, which was & is constitutional experts' concern over mass monitoring & logging of internet, email, private voice communications. People "blame" the NSA & other 3 letter orgs, but w/o any nation's political system's approval of funds, these agencies couldn't exist or do what they're doing. Many can understand them wanting to decrypt or de-anonymize devices of known criminals' or prime suspects; then prosecute. But not gather intel on everyone just because they can. Some on this list probably never completely read Orwell's __1984__ (futuristic when I 1st read it). They'd be surprised at its many almost identical similarities to what has transpired.
So really, in democratic / free election countries, it's a majority of officials elected to "do the will of the people" that are allowing these agencies behavior. Remember? The US & other countries' legislative & judicial branches met, discussed & several decided what was being done was unconstitutional & in some cases, considered unnecessary. Yet legislative funding for the projects was never stopped.
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