surveillance

Google, Rest of Internet Urge Congress To Change NSA Surveillance Laws

Google, Rest of Internet Urge Congress To Change NSA Surveillance Laws

A large coalition of internet companies and advocacy groups has declared today “The Day We Fight Back” against mass surveillance. The coalition is urging US citizens to contact their legislators to ask for Congressional intervention on mass surveillance programs. [More]

Your E-ZPass Might Be Tracking You Everywhere, Not Just Tollbooths

Your E-ZPass Might Be Tracking You Everywhere, Not Just Tollbooths

When you get a toll-paying transponder like the E-ZPass, you assume that it just sort of sits there until you drive through a toll booth. That’s not true. Maybe, according to a recent presentation at DEFCON, you should put your E-ZPass away unless you’re actually paying a toll right now. [More]

Want To Spy On Comcast Subscribers? Comcast Has The Job For You!

Want To Spy On Comcast Subscribers? Comcast Has The Job For You!

If you’d like to help Comcast eavesdrop on its own subscribers, you’re in luck: Comcast has posted a job listing for an “intercept engineer” on a headhunter site, according to Wired. Want ad for position of The Man, inside.

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Verizon may have admitted it gives out customer info without warrants, but AT&T and Qwest both refused to give Congress any information on their participation in the government’s wire-tapping activities, saying they needed permission from Bush administration first. [Reuters]

Congress Asks AT&T, Verizon, And Qwest About Warrantless Wiretapping

Congress Asks AT&T, Verizon, And Qwest About Warrantless Wiretapping

Qwest, Verizon, and AT&T have until October 12th to provide information on how the government went about asking for private customer records, and how the three companies provided the information. The Committee on Energy and Commerce opened an official investigation Tuesday. “If reports about the government surveillance program are accurate, Congress has a duty to inquire about whether such a program violates the Constitution, as well as consumer protection and privacy laws,” said committee chairman Rep. John Dingell.

Walmart Worker Fired For Posting Joke On MySpace

Walmart Worker Fired For Posting Joke On MySpace

Watch out, kids. Don’t try to be funny on the internet or you’ll be fired by Walmart.

Wired Interview With Mark Klein, AT&T Spying Whistleblower

Wired Interview With Mark Klein, AT&T Spying Whistleblower

Wired has an informative, deeply terrifying, interview with Mark Klein the whistleblower who outed AT&T for spying for the NSA.

WN: How many people worked in or on that room?

Verizon Claims Disclosing Customer Records To The NSA Is "Free Speech"

Verizon Claims Disclosing Customer Records To The NSA Is "Free Speech"

“In fact, Verizon basically argues that the entire lawsuit is a giant SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) suit, and that the case is an attempt to deter the company from exercising its First Amendment right to turn over customer calling information to government security services.

Walmart Investigates Nuns As A Potential Threat

Walmart Investigates Nuns As A Potential Threat

A group of Benedictine nuns in Texas are shocked that Walmart considers them a threat and ordered a “threat assessment” from their crack security team. The nuns had filed a shareholder resolution that was critical to Walmart. “The Benedictine Sisters of Boerne, Texas have written a letter to Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s chief executive, to say they were “deeply disappointed, appalled and shocked.”

Arkansas State Police Director Resigns To Go Work At Walmart

Arkansas State Police Director Resigns To Go Work At Walmart

The director of the Arkansas State Police, Colonel Steve Dozier, has resigned from his position, (with provides a salary of $98,400 a year), to join Walmart’s security force. According to WMC TV, Walmart spokesperson Sarah Clark says that Dozier will “oversee several elements of the company’s security program” and will report to Ken Senser, Wal-Mart’s senior vice president for global security, aviation and travel.”

Walmart's Spying Operation Is Hiring!

Walmart's Spying Operation Is Hiring!

Former CIA or FBI intelligence expert? Want to train your eye on more… “innocent” suspects than you did during your days in law enforcement? Look no further than Walmart’s Global Security division, which is headed by former senior CIA and FBI senior officer Kenneth Senser and Army Special Operations veteran David Harrison.

New York City Comptroller Requests Investigation Into Walmart Spying Operation

New York City Comptroller Requests Investigation Into Walmart Spying Operation

In letters to both agencies, Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., citing a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, said he was “particularly troubled by reports that Wal-Mart engaged in chilling and truly outrageous surveillance activities.”

Walmart Is Watching

Walmart Is Watching

The WSJ goes in depth today about Walmarts intense surveillance operation. According to the recently fired employee who intercepted calls and text messages from a New York Times reporter (and a few other Walmart employees) Walmart’s surveillance tactics include:

Chicago Seeks Mandatory Cameras for Bars

Chicago Seeks Mandatory Cameras for Bars

Chicago mayor Richard Daley has proposed a city ordinance that would require all bars open until 4 a.m. to install closed-circuit security cameras to monitor the comings and goings of patrons. The proposal includes measures that would eventually require all businesses open longer than 12 hours a day to do the same—all this, we should note, at their own expense. Never mind that the businesses already pay taxes to support a police force that, if these cameras are necessary, aren’t effective enough.