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The Massive Facial Recognition Database That’s Hiding in Plain Sight

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:57:52 +0000

"The database isn't limited to just criminals, and it's completely searchable thanks to facial recognition tech. Generally, there's no need for a court order or warrant to make a search, just 'law enforcement purposes,' which is about as vague as it gets. As for reach, 42 states are involved with the system. The State department has its own little database, consisting of some 230 million faces belonging to visa-holding foreigners and passport-holding citizens alike. As video-surveillance becomes more and more common, it's easy to see how this becomes a modern-day fingerprint index of not just criminals but of anyone with an ID." Continue reading → more

China blasts U.S. surveillance program exposed by Edward Snowden

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:24:20 +0000

"China’s official army newspaper branded the U.S. Internet surveillance programme exposed by former spy Edward Snowden as 'frightening', and accused the US of being a 'habitual offender' when it comes to network monitoring. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily hit out at the US for implying that spying on citizens from other countries was justified, and said that the PRISM monitoring programme had probably been used to collect large amounts of data unrelated to anti-terrorism operations. The remarks about the programme are among the most scathing to appear in China’s state-run press following Beijing’s refusal to make an official comment." Continue reading → more

Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Compares NSA Spying to Soviet Russia

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:10:18 +0000

"'When I was brought up my dad taught me, for example, [that when] other countries got prisoners in a war, they tortured them. But we, Americans, didn’t torture them. And now I find out it’s just the opposite. And all these things we talk about in the Constitution, that made us so good as a people, they all dissolved with the Patriot Act. I was taught that communist Russia were the ones that were going to kill us, and bomb our country. Communist Russia was so bad because they followed their people, they snooped on them, they arrested them, they put them in secret prisons, they disappeared them. Nowadays, we’re getting more and more like that.'" Continue reading → more

Thousands Of Firms Trade Confidential Data With The US Government In Exchange For Classified Intelligence

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:04:40 +0000

"In other words, what is going on behind the scenes is nothing more than one vast, very selective, extremely secretive, symbiotic and perfectly 'legal' giant information exchange network, which allows corporations to profit off classified government information either in kind or in cash, and which allows the government to have all the information at its disposal, collected using public and private venues, in order to protect itself, to take out those it designates as targets, or simply said - to get ever bigger. The loser in all of this? You." Continue reading → more

US Treasury denies it is trying to torpedo Bitcoin

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:36:06 +0000

"Bitcoin itself is nearly impossible to regulate. And the government at least seems to understand this point. But that doesn’t mean they can’t spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt. In this short 4-page speech, the Director twice made a connection between Bitcoin and (you guessed it) terrorism. Twice more connected Bitcoin to those who would exploit children. And four times linked digital currency to ‘criminals’ in general. And, even though they cannot control Bitcoin, FinCEN is obviously laying the foundation to regulate every business that touches Bitcoin, from exchange houses to swap websites to digital wallet providers." Continue reading → more

Louisiana: Cops Used Red Light Cameras For Personal Profit

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:24:26 +0000

"Police officers in New Orleans, Louisiana filled their own pockets with red light camera cash by setting up a private company to 'review' photo citations off the official clock. The city's inspector general, E. R. Quatrevaux, on Friday released a report documenting how Edwin Hosli, the New Orleans Police Department's (NOPD) 8th District commander, formed his own limited liability company called Anytime Solutions to take advantage of the lucrative business opportunity. Hosli pulled down $7420 from the arrangement for himself. Hosli and several other officers overbilled ACS by $9075. Hosli's share of that was $2055, according to the documents." Continue reading → more

No way out: Julian Assange marks one year inside Ecuadorian embassy in UK

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:19:38 +0000

"Julian Assange is still there, holed up inside Ecuador’s embassy in central London. And on Wednesday this week it’ll be a full year since he walked into the embassy claiming political asylum. Julian Assange knows that despite having been granted asylum by the Latin American nation in August 2012, if he steps outside the building he’ll be immediately arrested by UK police and likely extradited to Sweden to face questioning over two alleged sexual assaults in the country. The 41-year-old WikiLeaks founder denies any wrongdoing, but fears that being transferred to Sweden could ultimately result in him being handed over to the US authorities." Continue reading → more

Rio police tear gas thousands at protest demanding health care and education

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:55:33 +0000

"Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse around 3,000 protestors from outside Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium ahead of the Confederations Cup match between Italy and Mexico on Sunday. The demonstrators were attempting to enter the stadium in protest at the vast sums of money spent on the organisation of the tournament and next year’s World Cup, which Brazil is also hosting. 'I don’t care about the World Cup — I want health and education!' chanted protestors. The start of the competition has been marked by protests over the huge cost of preparations to host the World Cup, which is expected to reach $15 million (11 billion euros)." Continue reading → more

Putin questions why Western powers support Syrian rebels who ‘eat human organs’

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:52:16 +0000

"Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West against arming Syrian rebels on Sunday. In his first public comments since a decision by President Barack Obama’s administration to arm rebels trying to overthrow Assad, Putin said Russia wanted to create the conditions for settling the two-year conflict. 'I think you will not deny that one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines, in front of the public and cameras,' Putin said at a joint news conference in London. 'Are these the people you want to support? Is it them who you want to supply with weapons?'" Continue reading → more

Bond bubble threatens financial system, Bank of England director warns

The Freedom Watch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:49:57 +0000

"A key Bank of England policymaker has warned of the risks to global financial stability when 'the biggest bond bubble in history' bursts. In a wide-ranging testimony to MPs, Andy Haldane, Bank of England director of financial stability, admitted the central bank's new financial policy committee is taking too long to force banks to hold more capital and appeared to criticise the bank's culture under outgoing governor Sir Mervyn King. Haldane told the Treasury select committee that the bursting of the bond bubble – created by central banks forcing down bond yields by pumping electronic money into the economy – was a risk 'I feel acutely right now'." Continue reading → more