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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

#21

Post by maukdaddy »

metamemetics wrote: post #12

If you are an American HNer, please tell your congressmen\women to reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act if you have not already. Your private information should not be excluded from 4th ammendment protection just because it's on the Internet. If you don't know how to contact your representative\senator, the ACLU makes it extremely easy and can locate them for you and send a letter on your behalf via this…

If you're a US Citizen you don't have to worry about your information, since the NSA is forbidden by law from collecting information about US Citizens.

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

#22

Post by imgabe »

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…

I think to the mindset of someone who chooses to work for the NSA being like Robocop is a GOOD thing. After all, Robocop catches the bad guys. If he comes and kicks down your door, it's because you were doing something wrong.

If you sign up to work for an agency like the NSA, you're probably doing it because you want to serve your country and protect it from the bad guys. You're not setting out to create some kind of totalitarian police state.

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

#23

Post by Arun2009 »

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…

Maybe they're just stupid, but then again maybe the name's intentionally creepy? Now it's registered in everyone's minds that they are being watched by Perfect Citizen (which is just a 'research program' really, wink wink). This could potentially cause mischief-makers to resort to pathological behavior to cover their tracks that can be detected more easily. Or maybe there would be a scarecrow-effect: people will behave because they know someone's watching them.

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

#24

Post by daten »

drawkbox wrote: post #13
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 seems there are more and more of these like the naming of the 'Patriot Act'. 'Perfect Citizen' is almost doublespeak at this point. What is happening here?

I think the people involved with naming these programs live in a very different environment and have a very different mindset than the people who think these are obviously bad names.

Can you list more than one previous example that fits this pattern?

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

#25

Post by coderdude »

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…

I wouldn't be surprised if they both know that the name is creepy and like it like that. If NSA personnel are anything like cops or Marines, then they have a sick sense of humor about their work.

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

#26

Post by mikeknoop »

maukdaddy wrote: post #21
metamemetics wrote: post #12

If you are an American HNer, please tell your congressmen\women to reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act if you have not already. Your private information should not be excluded from 4th ammendment protection just because it's on the Internet. If you don't know how to contact your representative\senator, the ACLU makes it extremely easy and can locate them for you and send a letter on your behalf via this…

If you're a US Citizen you don't have to worry about your information, since the NSA is forbidden by law from collecting information about US Citizens.

* I learned this while playing Splinter Cell.

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

#27

Post by JCThoughtscream »

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…

For the same reason why DARPA has projects codenamed "BATMAN" and "ROBIN."

They're staffed by geeks and loons.

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

#28

Post by gaius »

imgabe wrote: post #22
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…

I think to the mindset of someone who chooses to work for the NSA being like Robocop is a GOOD thing. After all, Robocop catches the bad guys. If he comes and kicks down your door, it's because you were doing something wrong. If you sign up to work for an agency like the NSA, you're probably doing it because you want to serve your country and protect it from the bad guys. You're not setting out to create some kind of…

It amuses me, like in that James Bond film with Rosalind Pike, when Hollywood wants a secret organization even more sinister than the CIA they go for the NSA.

I've (obv) never been to the NSA's office but I bet it's indistinguishable from any of the established high tech firms, like IBM or Boeing or Intel or Raytheon. Everyone clean-shaven and wearing a crisp white shirt. These guys write programs and research cryptography. When they need some ass kicked they phone the Navy SEALs (1-800-SEAL4U in case you ever need them), then go back to complaining about the coffee machine.

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

#29

Post by CWuestefeld »

maukdaddy wrote: post #21
metamemetics wrote: post #12

If you are an American HNer, please tell your congressmen\women to reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act if you have not already. Your private information should not be excluded from 4th ammendment protection just because it's on the Internet. If you don't know how to contact your representative\senator, the ACLU makes it extremely easy and can locate them for you and send a letter on your behalf via this…

If you're a US Citizen you don't have to worry about your information, since the NSA is forbidden by law from collecting information about US Citizens.

The phone companies are also forbidden by law from collecting this data. That didn't stop them from doing so a few years back, and the Congress helpfully gave them immunity after the fact.

Legislative guarantees of privacy and other freedoms are no guarantees at all.

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