I went to log into my Google Blogger account today (this blog) and found Google asking me for my phone number ''for security purposes'' .. to make it harder for would be hackers to gain access to my blog. OK, I understand the security thing, but why does it have to be a phone number? Why couldn't it have been another password? This doesn't worry me so much as I'm reasonably secure online, but I'm sure there'll be many who just blindly give away their mobile or home phone numbers without a second thought.
Is this a big deal? Well consider this. Google already know who whereabouts you are .. what city etc. There are web companies that offer you to enter a phone number and it will show the address of that number, or possibly, Google has that ability itself. Suddenly, Google has your address and phone number now. It monitors all your web activity - at least through Google search - and no doubt through your emails, web activity etc through your Android mobile phone.
I've posted previously on Googles ever growing private data bank, and I'm certainly not the type of person who makes assertions about Big Brother and the like, but it still concerns me a tad over the amount of information being kept by companies.
The UK is in the midst of the government wanting to monitor all web and telephone activity by users. It wants to monitor numbers called, duration, the calling number, your IP address, the web sites you visit, how long you are on the site, the email addresses you send messages to .. and it's all under the guise of better protection againt terrorists. The government says the content of the emails is not accessed, nor recording of phone conversations. Would you believe your government when it tells you things like this? If I was in London right now, I'd be organising rallies and protests all around the country. We will not take it and don't want it. And of course, it's all being done for the good of the nation.
OK, many will argue that all these different types of intrusion don't mean anything if you are not doing anything wrong. I agree. But what I hate seeing is the greater and greater control and restrictions placed on us, all under the guise of being for our own good. Remember when US companies touted having your kids microchipped in case of kidnapping or the child being lost? Great, but what happens when the child grows up and is an adult. In the wrong hands - CIA or FBI - could they use this for tracking purposes?
If you go and visit your 'secret' mistress 30 kilometres away and if you own an Android phone, there's a good possibility Google will know your whereabouts. This in itself is not a worry, but with the new Google privacy and data collection changes, what if Google start selling this information to private investigators through one of its "affiliated" security companies? Could a wifes Lawyer sub poena Google to hand over the information as to her husbands whereabouts so it could be used in divorce proceedings?
America is another example of citizens gradually losing their rights over time. If the Patriot act is enabled, a citizen just about loses all rights. And, of course, it's all introduced with the ''good of the nation at heart''. In addition, the American government have wanted to control the internet for a long time. I'm not sure what this would entail? Maybe a system similar to what the UK government wants to commit to ?
Australia is another country who wanted to introduce a 'net filter' to filter out undesirable websites (child porn etc). Great, I'm all for that, but may people who opposed the introduction saw it as a way for the government to gradually introduce tougher and harder regulation. The ''list'' of banned websites was (fortunately) leaked to the media, and low and behold contained websites that had absolutely nothing to do with child porn or even remotely terrorist. If I remember right, it had a hair salon website on it. OK, this was obviously a mistake, but it points to the fact that government very often don't get it right. Since the ''list'' of banned websites was supposed to be kept a secret - from the general public at least - the citizens of Australia were a little concerned that just about any website could be added to the list by current and future governments. A conservative government might add pro-abortion websites, Islamic websites ... Do you see what I mean ?
The various governments around the world already do clandestine stuff behinds our backs, which is why the Wikileaks drama was so intense. The governments got caught out, in particular the American government. It embarrassed the shit out of them which is why they made it their target to get Assange at all costs, and I would not be at all surprised to know that the so called sexual assault charges against Assange are all trumped up to get hold of him and get him onto American soil.
The lesson to the American government should be easy. STOP STICKING YOUR NOSES INTO EVERYONE ELSES BUSINESS. You will not achieve your aim of turning the world into a mini America. The rest of the world know the American government only get involved if there's something America can make out of it. Nothing is done for the sake of another nation and the goodwill of that nation.
To end a long post, the point I am making is don't be fooled into giving up your private information willy nilly. Look at what your information could be used for. Even if it's harmless advertising landing on your doorstep, it can be more than that. Google asked for my phone number to further verify my login to Blogger. I didn't give it, but it's only optional now, but will probably become mandatory. In this case, I'll give a false number. In reality, they probably have my number anyway? Also, don't be one of the persons who just sits back and lets the government (and Google) just introduce stuff .. all for our good of course. Email and write to the people concerned and tell them you are against the introduction of 'so & so'. It still may be introduced, but if the government were to know if they introduced monitoring of the internet, the people will have them out at the next election, they'd think twice.
It's about PEOPLE POWER. In South Australia, like many other capital cities, we are currently undergoing major price hikes in utilities - electricity, water etc. Just imagine SA Waters response if 100,000 water users refuse to pay their bills? It would be impossible for SA Water to cut off all those meters, and at the end of the day, would create a huge cash flow problem within SA Water. Got them by the balls? YEP. The government would no doubt intervene in the matter, and maybe its a good thing that we would push the government to do something. It's long been shown that privatisation DOES NOT MAKE THE PRICE COME DOWN despite the government telling us it will. But, just imagine the worldwide publicity it would generate, and it might just make people get off their bums and start standing up to companies such as Google and even the peoples own governments.
People Power, People
Get Real
Is this a big deal? Well consider this. Google already know who whereabouts you are .. what city etc. There are web companies that offer you to enter a phone number and it will show the address of that number, or possibly, Google has that ability itself. Suddenly, Google has your address and phone number now. It monitors all your web activity - at least through Google search - and no doubt through your emails, web activity etc through your Android mobile phone.
I've posted previously on Googles ever growing private data bank, and I'm certainly not the type of person who makes assertions about Big Brother and the like, but it still concerns me a tad over the amount of information being kept by companies.
The UK is in the midst of the government wanting to monitor all web and telephone activity by users. It wants to monitor numbers called, duration, the calling number, your IP address, the web sites you visit, how long you are on the site, the email addresses you send messages to .. and it's all under the guise of better protection againt terrorists. The government says the content of the emails is not accessed, nor recording of phone conversations. Would you believe your government when it tells you things like this? If I was in London right now, I'd be organising rallies and protests all around the country. We will not take it and don't want it. And of course, it's all being done for the good of the nation.
OK, many will argue that all these different types of intrusion don't mean anything if you are not doing anything wrong. I agree. But what I hate seeing is the greater and greater control and restrictions placed on us, all under the guise of being for our own good. Remember when US companies touted having your kids microchipped in case of kidnapping or the child being lost? Great, but what happens when the child grows up and is an adult. In the wrong hands - CIA or FBI - could they use this for tracking purposes?
If you go and visit your 'secret' mistress 30 kilometres away and if you own an Android phone, there's a good possibility Google will know your whereabouts. This in itself is not a worry, but with the new Google privacy and data collection changes, what if Google start selling this information to private investigators through one of its "affiliated" security companies? Could a wifes Lawyer sub poena Google to hand over the information as to her husbands whereabouts so it could be used in divorce proceedings?
America is another example of citizens gradually losing their rights over time. If the Patriot act is enabled, a citizen just about loses all rights. And, of course, it's all introduced with the ''good of the nation at heart''. In addition, the American government have wanted to control the internet for a long time. I'm not sure what this would entail? Maybe a system similar to what the UK government wants to commit to ?
Australia is another country who wanted to introduce a 'net filter' to filter out undesirable websites (child porn etc). Great, I'm all for that, but may people who opposed the introduction saw it as a way for the government to gradually introduce tougher and harder regulation. The ''list'' of banned websites was (fortunately) leaked to the media, and low and behold contained websites that had absolutely nothing to do with child porn or even remotely terrorist. If I remember right, it had a hair salon website on it. OK, this was obviously a mistake, but it points to the fact that government very often don't get it right. Since the ''list'' of banned websites was supposed to be kept a secret - from the general public at least - the citizens of Australia were a little concerned that just about any website could be added to the list by current and future governments. A conservative government might add pro-abortion websites, Islamic websites ... Do you see what I mean ?
The various governments around the world already do clandestine stuff behinds our backs, which is why the Wikileaks drama was so intense. The governments got caught out, in particular the American government. It embarrassed the shit out of them which is why they made it their target to get Assange at all costs, and I would not be at all surprised to know that the so called sexual assault charges against Assange are all trumped up to get hold of him and get him onto American soil.
The lesson to the American government should be easy. STOP STICKING YOUR NOSES INTO EVERYONE ELSES BUSINESS. You will not achieve your aim of turning the world into a mini America. The rest of the world know the American government only get involved if there's something America can make out of it. Nothing is done for the sake of another nation and the goodwill of that nation.
To end a long post, the point I am making is don't be fooled into giving up your private information willy nilly. Look at what your information could be used for. Even if it's harmless advertising landing on your doorstep, it can be more than that. Google asked for my phone number to further verify my login to Blogger. I didn't give it, but it's only optional now, but will probably become mandatory. In this case, I'll give a false number. In reality, they probably have my number anyway? Also, don't be one of the persons who just sits back and lets the government (and Google) just introduce stuff .. all for our good of course. Email and write to the people concerned and tell them you are against the introduction of 'so & so'. It still may be introduced, but if the government were to know if they introduced monitoring of the internet, the people will have them out at the next election, they'd think twice.
It's about PEOPLE POWER. In South Australia, like many other capital cities, we are currently undergoing major price hikes in utilities - electricity, water etc. Just imagine SA Waters response if 100,000 water users refuse to pay their bills? It would be impossible for SA Water to cut off all those meters, and at the end of the day, would create a huge cash flow problem within SA Water. Got them by the balls? YEP. The government would no doubt intervene in the matter, and maybe its a good thing that we would push the government to do something. It's long been shown that privatisation DOES NOT MAKE THE PRICE COME DOWN despite the government telling us it will. But, just imagine the worldwide publicity it would generate, and it might just make people get off their bums and start standing up to companies such as Google and even the peoples own governments.
People Power, People
Get Real
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