The NSA.
The Federal government and what they do without our knowledge, that directly addresses us as an individual, and the morals, values, and ethical responses we consider based on our personal and environmental exposures.
Those who have followed my writings might have caught that this falls right into my thesis work in Singularity. It’s another one of those,
…” ”… a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so rapid, its impact so deep, that human life will be irreversibly transformed. Although neither utopian nor dystopian, this epoch will transform the concepts that we rely on to give meaning to our lives, from our business models to the cycle of human life, including death itself.” Ray Kurzweil
moments. These are significant because of the amount of potential impact on a human scale that is in play. It’s also because they happen right in front of us and we are unable to see them for what potentials they have.
But I digress. So, what do we do to see it? We look at it. And knowing me, I’m starting with science and technology. What’s possible? What’s here now.
I’ve written on extensively on variables within technology and the human psychology. (Whether or not they’re all correct or not may however be another thing! 🙂
...”The NSA was so flooded with billions of dollars from post-September 11, 2001 budget increases that it went on a building spree and also expanded its eavesdropping capabilities enormously. Secret rooms were built in giant telecom facilities, such as AT&T’s 10-story “switch” in San Francisco. There, mirror copies of incoming data and telephone cables are routed into rooms filled with special hardware and software to filter out email and phone calls for transmission to NSA for analysis.” James Bamford
I’m sure that Mr.Bamford will agree, (and I thank you for the reference) that this is something that we have actually been aware of for quite a while now. But nobody really thought much about it at the time. (Rapid change/real time) That’s why I thanked the author, this part of the story was reported on a national level some years ago I believe. That’s my problem. I have the information, but forgot my source. I do however distinctly remember that the media source, as well as the coverage was of national level and stood up to every standard of journalistic integrity. Anyway, the information was that basically every call that was placed in the United States, whether from neighbor to neighbor, or from home to the world was sent out of the country through the country’s primary international and long distance telecommunications systems.
Now there are actually a few different ways that this could be done, and there are actually a few different reasons we also might want to do so.
In a digital age, it makes no difference how all of the wires are wired, so organizing them into one tube isn’t really that hard to do. If we think about it, we can assume that any digital signal, (residential as well) is a signal of digital information. So it has to identify itself, that signal comes with a lot of information. One of those pieces of information allows it to enter and exit a data stream as if it were a car on the freeway.
Okay. So everything leaves.
Then everything comes back. INCLUDING, all of the other incoming information that was already on it’s way. (Even your recipients call from you) in through one pipe, all into one AT&T building in San Francisco. NOW HERE IS WHERE I”LL ASSUME THAT IT WAS SPECULATIVE BECAUSE I DON”T REMEMBER!!!) But… The story then suggested that there might be a little room right down the hall with a sign that said, do not enter! Super secret NSA stuff! on it. (Or something like that anyway…
Okay. So we read that story, and I think most of us said something like, …”Ummn. Okay.. Well, I can see why they might do that, they’re not really doing that though right???…Umm. Hmm cool story…” and that was about it.
When I pondered it, I attributed it to just another one of those things that I already assume that some company or government is doing on some level or another already. I try to leave their motives and my paranoia separate because when they mess with my cynicism I can get into trouble. 🙂
The fourth amendment rights under the Constitution as they apply to the individual can and should always be as narrowly construed as possible, and are subject to all rules of due process, without exception. (Okay, some exceptions…? Well, it’s true!)
Okay. so what if the little room were there? I guess we can assume now that it was huh! lol)
What about the satellites above? if we can see the rings of Saturn, couldn’t the satellites see us walking down the street? …”Yea, but do you know how much satellite time costs?” ..”So, if it were cheaper they might do it? ” With all of the satellite’s out there, and all of the ones that don’t need the visible spectrum to “see” me, I’m going to assume that it’s probably a lot cheaper now, than most already imagine. Now. Do I think the government is watching me to see if I’m going to my bookie’s house? No.
But… am I too naive to think that my path was also not caught on some satellite’s pass overhead?
Absolutely not. In fact, I know for a fact that it would have been.
That data would have been caught by any one of the satellites under the control of the National Weather Service. Taking out or enhancing the part of the image that would be me is something that these satellite systems do really, really well. (One might envision how the telescopes pointed toward space work)
So anyway. The information is there. (I assume) The ability to access it by the federal government is a given. (It’s their system) Oh, and we’ve given them permission. In fact, we’ve requested it.
Not that it would matter really anyway since it would fall under the “plain view” doctrine. (Something that states if it is in plain view, it’s fair game) Oohhh! Never thought of all that did we??? “Wait a minute? What do you mean it would be legal?” “Yea,… but they’re not really doing that are they?”
In my opinion?
Sure they are. It would be unrealistic to think otherwise. I mean, the data is there, it can be adjusted to filter in any way required, it’s in real time, and it’s all recorded in that “real time,” for examination and playback. All it would take is a group of analysts doing the work, for whatever reason.
Am I going to be one of those reasons? I seriously doubt it. To single out an individual, one must assume that there is already something that ties the person to the interest to begin with. With that said, logic would tell me that if this were a “criminal investigation,” all of my fourth amendment rights would most likely be covered by law enforcement as well as they could to begin with so that a conviction was secured. (They’d probably even get a warrant in this case although at this time there would be no legal requirement to do so)
Not to mention this fact. Remember how we described that information in the pipe to begin with? As “digital information?” That means zero’s and ones.
See the connection????
Taking all of the data is like taking the satellite pictures. The words aren’t even necessarily “seen.”
The data doesn’t make seance until it’s filtered. Filtering it down to one person as an individual, would be equivalent to asking the NWS to filter it in their case. (It’s not what the way they’re using it, but they can do it.)
Same thing here.
Sort of.
******Man, this is going to take a while. I’ve got to take a break. Sorry
Our technology gives us satellites as
The Singularity Effect 