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The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

theintercept.com

141–150 of 386 posts

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#141
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Private corporations are collecting the data, the state is just buying it, and I doubt they are the only customer.

Yep. As has often been said, everything you do online is (or you should assume to be) public. There are no secrets.

Also, everything you do on your Windows PC (and soon on a Mac).

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#142
post #46
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need more similarities? The mass data collection completes the system.

Because we need to understand the purpose of the data collection and what bad things might happen because of it. If Treasury is using this data to catch people who violate economic sanctions, ok. If the IRS is using this data to catch people who cheat on their taxes, ok. I don't love either of those things, but they are using the data only to do things that have been defined as their job to do for a long time now. Th…

Look at the prosecution of Aaron Schwartz, where the prosecutor plainly indicated Aaron’s political views were motivation for being so zealous.

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between a credit score and a social credit score system is one is based on debt payment history and the other based on political dissent & debt payment. Currently saying "Lets Go Brandon" doesn't drop your credit score, in China you may lose quite a few points for posting that pesky bear that likes honey.

Having an arrest on your record is enough to bar your from job and housing, even if charges were dropped or you were found not guilty. That alone is enough of a chilling effect to affect behavior: for example, staying away from protests or not questioning a police officer. Again, we are already there.

A criminal background check is not connected to your credit score and a convicted criminal charge is not the same as political dissent. Stop moving goal posts.

I was arrested once and I got the charge expunged with community service. Hasn't affected my job applications so far.

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#144
post #46
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need more similarities? The mass data collection completes the system.

Because we need to understand the purpose of the data collection and what bad things might happen because of it. If Treasury is using this data to catch people who violate economic sanctions, ok. If the IRS is using this data to catch people who cheat on their taxes, ok. I don't love either of those things, but they are using the data only to do things that have been defined as their job to do for a long time now. Th…

Maybe you didn't consent to the data being sold, yet it was sold anyway?

In the US, except in California perhaps, you have no recourse. In the EU, that's a violation of GDPR and various local data protection laws. Elsewhere, unclear.

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#145

This is not a new take, but I think "the west" is effectively building their own version of China's social credit. It's just distributed among a range of private companies and accessed via subpoena or contract. The fact that the government doesn't operate most of it directly is largely irrelevant to those negatively affected by it and in some ways makes the situation worse (who do you even contact to correct inaccura…

Utah released plans for the new electronic ID a couple of weeks back which, among other things, would contain your "vaccination status" and "social credit scoring".

Conservative press is abuzz with this (including photos of the promo leaflet), liberal press is dead silent. Since nobody on this site will believe a conservative news source, I'm not even going to bother providing a link. If you're in Utah, ask your local government to put an end to this horseshit before it's too late.

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#146
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, and also wage garnishment is another thing that is definitely a common thing.

Wage garnishment is predominantly for child support and alimony, no? Is that a bad thing?

And unpaid taxes.

Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#147

This is not a new take, but I think "the west" is effectively building their own version of China's social credit. It's just distributed among a range of private companies and accessed via subpoena or contract. The fact that the government doesn't operate most of it directly is largely irrelevant to those negatively affected by it and in some ways makes the situation worse (who do you even contact to correct inaccura…

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Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#148
post #73

It seems apparent that the US government is pursuing a novel strategy to route around the Bill of Rights: Steps: * Allow (and encourage) private sector monopolies to form * Use its leverage and influence to "encourage" those monopolies to do things which the US government is not allowed to do (examples: censorship, data collection) The list of First Amendment precedents, for example, with respect to the government is…

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Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#149
post #147

This is not a new take, but I think "the west" is effectively building their own version of China's social credit. It's just distributed among a range of private companies and accessed via subpoena or contract. The fact that the government doesn't operate most of it directly is largely irrelevant to those negatively affected by it and in some ways makes the situation worse (who do you even contact to correct inaccura…

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Re: The U.S. Treasury is buying private app data to target and investigate people

#150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

I mean the available options kinda forces that.

I, for one, liked the options, and happily chose "Everyone involved is evil, the contracts should be voided and the companies dissolved."

I think middle age is turning me into some flavor anarchist. Weird.

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