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NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

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Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#2

Post by powrtoch »

Really though. If you wanted to claim that it was just for research, why give it such an inflammatory name? Compare:

1) WebReader is monitoring internet data. 2) Perfect Citizen is monitoring internet data.

Which one do you expect to be a robocop-like being that will kick down your door at night and declare "verdict: guilty, sentence: execution"?

Not that this doesn't reflect an irrational trust on your part of innocuous names, but really, why name it that?

Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#4

Post by elbenshira »

powrtoch wrote: post #2

Really though. If you wanted to claim that it was just for research, why give it such an inflammatory name? Compare: 1) WebReader is monitoring internet data. 2) Perfect Citizen is monitoring internet data. Which one do you expect to be a robocop-like being that will kick down your door at night and declare "verdict: guilty, sentence: execution"? Not that this doesn't reflect an irrational trust on your part of innoc…

The researchers probably did it on purpose. It's their way of warning us of what they are about to unleash.

Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#5

Post by hugh3 »

powrtoch wrote: post #2

Really though. If you wanted to claim that it was just for research, why give it such an inflammatory name? Compare: 1) WebReader is monitoring internet data. 2) Perfect Citizen is monitoring internet data. Which one do you expect to be a robocop-like being that will kick down your door at night and declare "verdict: guilty, sentence: execution"? Not that this doesn't reflect an irrational trust on your part of innoc…

It reminds me of the London "Secure Beneath The Watchful Eyes" poster campaign from a few years ago:

http://www.art-for-a-change.com/News/eyes.htm

Either somebody is having an Orwellian joke, or somebody is frighteningly tone-deaf. I mean, even "Patriot Act" probably seemed like a good idea at the time (as did my personal favourite, Operation Infinite Justice), but Perfect Citizen is just weird.

Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#8

Post by rdtsc »

I am not sure why this is a big deal. NSA has been watching the internet for a long time. A lot of those operations are probably shadowy classified ones. That kind of information is good for high level decision making and sensitive projects, but is not very useful in bullying regular citizens who might post something "anonymously" on some forum.

What the government needs is a plausable cover for "we see what you did there... on that forum ... on that date that is why you are denied this and that or put on some black list."

Another reason for using such an inflamatory name is to test public's response to such _kind_ of a project. Basically test the media and public's outcry level. Possibly in preparation for expanding one of their existing projects even further. Otherwise they couldn't have given it a more ominous Orwellian name.

Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#9

Post by [deleted] »

rdtsc wrote: post #8

I am not sure why this is a big deal. NSA has been watching the internet for a long time. A lot of those operations are probably shadowy classified ones. That kind of information is good for high level decision making and sensitive projects, but is not very useful in bullying regular citizens who might post something "anonymously" on some forum. What the government needs is a plausable cover for "we see what you did…

[deleted]

Re: NSA Hooking Up Ominously Named 'Perfect Citizen' To Watch The Internet

#10

Post by orangecat »

hugh3 wrote: post #5
powrtoch wrote: post #2

Really though. If you wanted to claim that it was just for research, why give it such an inflammatory name? Compare: 1) WebReader is monitoring internet data. 2) Perfect Citizen is monitoring internet data. Which one do you expect to be a robocop-like being that will kick down your door at night and declare "verdict: guilty, sentence: execution"? Not that this doesn't reflect an irrational trust on your part of innoc…

It reminds me of the London "Secure Beneath The Watchful Eyes" poster campaign from a few years ago: http://www.art-for-a-change.com/News/eyes.htm Either somebody is having an Orwellian joke, or somebody is frighteningly tone-deaf. I mean, even "Patriot Act" probably seemed like a good idea at the time (as did my personal favourite, Operation Infinite Justice), but Perfect Citizen is just weird.

My favorite was Total Information Awareness, including the creepy Masonic eyeball: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Awareness_Office
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