HOT: How the Government is Tracking You Online

[green73]

A multinational security firm has secretly developed software capable of tracking people's movements and predicting future behaviour by mining data from social networking websites.

A video obtained by the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/feb/10/raytheon-software-tracks-online-video) reveals how an "extreme-scale analytics" system created by Raytheon, the world's fifth largest defence contractor, can gather vast amounts of information about people from websites including Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.

Raytheon says it has not sold the software - named Riot, or Rapid Information Overlay Technology - to any clients. But the Massachusetts-based company has acknowledged the technology was shared with US government and industry as part of a joint research and development effort, in 2010, to help build a national security system capable of analysing "trillions of entities" from cyberspace.

The power of Riot to harness websites for surveillance offers a rare insight into techniques that have attracted interest from intelligence and national security agencies, at the same time prompting civil liberties and online privacy concerns.

Using Riot it is possible to gain a picture of a person's life - their friends, the places they visit charted on a map - in little more than a few clicks of a button.

In the video obtained by the Guardian, Raytheon's "principal investigator" Brian Urch explains that photographs which users post on social networks sometimes contain latitude and longitude details - automatically embedded by smartphones within so-called "exif header data". Riot pulls out this information, showing the location at which the pictures were taken. Riot can display online associations and relationships using Twitter and Facebook and sift GPS location information from Foursquare, a mobile phone app used by more than 25 million people to alert friends of their whereabouts. The Foursquare data can be used to display, in graph form, the top 10 places visited and the times at which they visited them.

Mining from public websites for law enforcement is considered legal in most countries. But, Ginger McCall, a lawyer at the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Centre, said the Raytheon technology raised concerns about how user data could be covertly collected without oversight or regulation.

"Users may be posting information that they believe will be viewed only by their friends, but instead, it is being viewed by government officials or pulled in by data collection services like the Riot search."

Raytheon, which made sales worth an estimated $US25b in 2012, did not want its Riot demonstration video to be revealed on the grounds that it says it shows a "proof of concept" product that has not been sold to any clients.

Jared Adams, a spokesman for Raytheon's intelligence and information systems department, said in an email: "Riot is a big data analytics system design we are working on with industry, national labs and commercial partners to help turn massive amounts of data into useable information to help meet our nation's rapidly changing security needs. Its innovative privacy features are the most robust that we're aware of, enabling the sharing and analysis of data without personally identifiable information being disclosed."

In December, Riot was featured in a new patent Raytheon is pursuing for a system to gather data on people from social networks, blogs and other sources to identify whether they might be a security risk.

In April, Riot was scheduled to be showcased at a US government and industry national security conference for secretive, classified innovations, where it was listed under the category "big data - analytics, algorithms".

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/google-for-spies-draws-ire-from-rights-groups-20130211-2e75y.html#ixzz2KYRiGb1t

[BAllen]

What are you going to do about it?

[green73]

What are you going to do about it?

What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?

[muh_roads]

What are you going to do about it?

Shut down my facebook. Or at least disassociate myself from "liking" anything the government finds to be a threat to its survival.

[fr33]

Sit around and bitch about it.

[noneedtoaggress]

Shut down my facebook. Or at least disassociate myself from "liking" anything the government finds to be a threat to its survival.

But if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide. Why does it seem like you're trying to hide something, citizen?

FLAGGED and REPORTED.

[VoluntaryAmerican]

What are you going to do about it?


What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?


Sit around and bitch about it.


:cool: Pretty much.

[green73]

:cool: Pretty much.

I find myself free of this. But I'm probably on "the list" nonetheless.

[KCIndy]

Man. Oh, gosh and golly.

I feel real bad for the government computers. How are they going to track me? I don't use Facebook, or Twitter, or Google+, or Foursquare (what the hell is Foursquare, anyway?? I've never even heard of it!)

Of course, I *DO* post here, so I'm probably just as screwed as the rest of ya!! :D

[green73]

Man. Oh, gosh and golly.

I feel real bad for the government computers. How are they going to track me? I don't use Facebook, or Twitter, or Google+, or Foursquare (what the hell is Foursquare, anyway?? I've never even heard of it!)

Of course, I *DO* post here, so I'm probably just as screwed as the rest of ya!! :D

I'm not sure if people using "Foursquare" necessarily know it.

[muh_roads]

But if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide. Why does it seem like you're trying to hide something, citizen?

FLAGGED and REPORTED.

I prefer the re-education sticker to the gas-chamber sticker on my mailbox before the FEMA trucks roll in.

In all seriousness, I've never seen anything good come from being a vocal attention whore as it relates to politics. I honestly wouldn't miss it at all if I were to shut down my social-retard media accounts.

[green73]

http://www.moobug.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mascot-hello-640x250.png

[sailingaway]

A multinational security firm has secretly developed software capable of tracking people's movements and predicting future behaviour by mining data from social networking websites.

A video obtained by the Guardian reveals how an "extreme-scale analytics" system created by Raytheon, the world's fifth largest defence contractor, can gather vast amounts of information about people from websites including Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.

Raytheon says it has not sold the software – named Riot, or Rapid Information Overlay Technology – to any clients.

But the Massachusetts-based company has acknowledged the technology was shared with US government and industry as part of a joint research and development effort, in 2010, to help build a national security system capable of analysing "trillions of entities" from cyberspace.

The power of Riot to harness popular websites for surveillance offers a rare insight into controversial techniques that have attracted interest from intelligence and national security agencies, at the same time prompting civil liberties and online privacy concerns.

The sophisticated technology demonstrates how the same social networks that helped propel the Arab Spring revolutions can be transformed into a "Google for spies" and tapped as a means of monitoring and control.

Using Riot it is possible to gain an entire snapshot of a person's life – their friends, the places they visit charted on a map – in little more than a few clicks of a button.

In the video obtained by the Guardian, it is explained by Raytheon's "principal investigator" Brian Urch that photographs users post on social networks sometimes contain latitude and longitude details – automatically embedded by smartphones within so-called "exif header data."

more, and video, at link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/10/software-tracks-social-media-defence

[noneedtoaggress]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?404129-HOT-How-the-Government-is-Tracking-You-Online

[TywinLannister]

Instead of not using social media, create lots of fake accounts with stuff totally the opposite from who you are to trick them and gum up the system.

[Carson]

But if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide. Why does it seem like you're trying to hide something, citizen?

FLAGGED and REPORTED.


You can be sold down the river for all kinds of things regardless of a legality.

Say you notice that a cat has the ability to lick himself a smooth mink like coat for cool weather and when it gets cold, he is able to lick it up Afro like. Maybe you speak to someone and express that maybe it has something to do with the way he licks or something in his saliva. The communication could be intercepted and sent to people with unlimited funds and resources. They could in turn beat you to market in idea after idea.

[BAllen]

What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?

You're the one that posted it. If someone wants to be loaded up with fear and paranoia, you can find plenty to worry about, but why bother? Do you really want to be a paranoid schitzophrenic?
Me? I don't use Farcebook or Twitter, anyway.

[DamianTV]

Dont strike at the branches of evil, strike at the root. If you do not, more branches will inevitably appear to take its place.

[green73]

You're the one that posted it. If someone wants to be loaded up with fear and paranoia, you can find plenty to worry about, but why bother? Do you really want to be a paranoid schitzophrenic?
Me? I don't use Farcebook or Twitter, anyway.

Oh, I'm sorry. Nothing to see here.

[jbauer]

Man. Oh, gosh and golly.

I feel real bad for the government computers. How are they going to track me? I don't use Facebook, or Twitter, or Google+, or Foursquare (what the hell is Foursquare, anyway?? I've never even heard of it!)

Of course, I *DO* post here, so I'm probably just as screwed as the rest of ya!! :D

I've got a login here and one other site.

[camp_steveo]

I just keep doing what I do and hope some of the intelligence agents read my writings and wake up to reality.

I am certainly not going to stop posting my thoughts on the web.

[oyarde]

I wonder if Fire 11 is on facebook ? I would like to see the report predicting future behaviour there.

[Anti Federalist]

What are you going to do about it?


What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?


Sit around and bitch about it.


:cool: Pretty much.


Oh, I'm sorry. Nothing to see here.

FarceBook.

FedBook.

FraudBook.

Dump your accounts, now.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, but FFS, don't make it easy for the motherfuckers.

[Anti Federalist]

You're the one that posted it. If someone wants to be loaded up with fear and paranoia, you can find plenty to worry about, but why bother? Do you really want to be a paranoid schitzophrenic?
Me? I don't use Farcebook or Twitter, anyway.

????

Sooo, what, we're not supposed to bring this to people's attention and just ignore it?

That's your problem if your reaction is one of paranoia

[BAllen]

????

Sooo, what, we're not supposed to bring this to people's attention and just ignore it?

That's your problem if your reaction is one of paranoia

Might help if you'd offer a solution when you post a problem. Which you finally did in post 23. Just saying. Looking for problems and bitching about it without offering solutions becomes paranoia. Balance is needed.

[Anti Federalist]

Might help if you'd offer a solution when you post a problem. Which you finally did in post 23. Just saying. Looking for problems and bitching about it without offering solutions becomes paranoia. Balance is needed.

Finally?

All you need to do is look back through years of my posts here, where I have been telling people to not use FarceBook, precisely for this reason.

[UMULAS]

............

[HOLLYWOOD]

Nice video collage on whats going on:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsVOzOea6og

[Occam's Banana]

Oh, I'm sorry. Nothing to see here.

Just let Nero tune his fiddle in peace, will ya?

[Anti Federalist]

Just let Nero tune his fiddle in peace, will ya?

Pipe down all o' youz...The Games are starting!

[VoluntaryAmerican]

FarceBook.

FedBook.

FraudBook.

Dump your accounts, now.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, but FFS, don't make it easy for the motherfuckers.

It's becoming 'cool' to ditch your Facebook or to disparage Facebook because the average joes (At least college age kids-- anecdotal evidence) are waking up to the fact that their being spied on...

Thing is, I was very late to Facebook... like 08 or 09... (in my late teens at the time 18-19) I was hating FB before it was cool... before I was hardcore Libertarian... Naturally hipster? I remember being the only kid in class without FB...

But now I basically NEED a Facebook / Twitter because of my career choice. :mad:

[fr33]

I don't use facebook but the wife does. Twitter is just like using this site as far as privacy goes. You don't have to give your name.

But when I register domains and start putting anti-state content on there I take a bigger risk even though I use a 3rd party business to try to hide my identity.

And I don't doubt that they can get around all of that and already have my name on "lists" for my opinions.

I pretty much have this view of it:

I just keep doing what I do and hope some of the intelligence agents read my writings and wake up to reality.

I am certainly not going to stop posting my thoughts on the web.

[pcosmar]

They have my files,, had them before I even owned a computer.
My online presence is my spin on it.

If they force me to go feral I won't be online to track.

[BAllen]

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Remember, we're talking about the government. They're not the most efficient organization, are they? They rely more on reputation than actual substance. Make a few examples, and look what happens? It's spread all over the place. Even people here spread it. Exactly what they want. Like blackmail. The threat is as good as the deed itself.

[green73]

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Remember, we're talking about the government. They're not the most efficient organization, are they? They rely more on reputation than actual substance. Make a few examples, and look what happens? It's spread all over the place. Even people here spread it. Exactly what they want. Like blackmail. The threat is as good as the deed itself.

They are efficient at stealing. And definitely efficient at murdering. Would you like to see some pictures?

But I see your point.

[Anti Federalist]

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Remember, we're talking about the government. They're not the most efficient organization, are they? They rely more on reputation than actual substance. Make a few examples, and look what happens? It's spread all over the place. Even people here spread it. Exactly what they want. Like blackmail. The threat is as good as the deed itself.

When it comes to killing people and blowing shit up, government is a precise, clicking engine of efficiency.

[DamianTV]

How many people have been at least spoken to by the authorities for shit they've said online?

[green73]

How many people have been at least spoken to by the authorities for shit they've said online?

Is there even a database? I know that during the Brandon Raub affair, John Whitehead of the Rutherford Inst. said that his was not a unique case, not even close. We're talking numbers in the tens of thousands.

But who is to say there isn't a target list that they're compiling for when the SHTF? When shit gets crazy they'll have their window to clear out the dissidents, and they'll know where they all live.

[deadfish]

Thought long and hard about this fact. Decided to actually start being less anonymous on the internet. May come back to bite me in the ass... or maybe save my ass.

You certainly hear a lot of tough guy shit when you visit libertarian communities, but not everyone is going to pick up a rifle and fight an oppressive government. For those of us on these DHS lists, the logical conclusion of that is that we're destined to be the early wave of political prisoners. If that is the risk I take, perhaps it's better to build up as large of a following base as possible so that there will be people to (hopefully) cry out in protest when the Feds come knocking on my door. If I wrap my online persona in secrecy, who will ever know when I'm gone?

On another note, after watching that PBS documentary on drones, I predict that the term "information era" will change life as we know it as an increasingly rapid rate. Just like today we can pretty much view satellite imagery of any place on the planet from our desktop, 5-10 years from now, we will be able to view live drone/satellite feed of major population centers from our desktop. "Go to live feed" will be just another option on google maps. You'll be able to zoom in on any spot and talk to your friend over the phone as he is waving up into the air while you're watching the live feed. That will be life. Both frightening and exciting.

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Thought long and hard about this fact. Decided to actually start being less anonymous on the internet. May come back to bite me in the ass... or maybe save my ass.

You certainly hear a lot of tough guy shit when you visit libertarian communities, but not everyone is going to pick up a rifle and fight an oppressive government. For those of us on these DHS lists, the logical conclusion of that is that we're destined to be the early wave of political prisoners. If that is the risk I take, perhaps it's better to build up as large of a following base as possible so that there will be people to (hopefully) cry out in protest when the Feds come knocking on my door. If I wrap my online persona in secrecy, who will ever know when I'm gone?

http://i.imgur.com/pqRbMCh.jpg

[BAllen]

Is there even a database? I know that during the Brandon Raub affair, John Whitehead of the Rutherford Inst. said that his was not a unique case, not even close. We're talking numbers in the tens of thousands.

But who is to say there isn't a target list that they're compiling for when the SHTF? When shit gets crazy they'll have their window to clear out the dissidents, and they'll know where they all live.

The first ones to go are the useful idiots. The ones who support them. The jane fonda types. They kill their own first.

[green73]

The first ones to go are the useful idiots. The ones who support them. The jane fonda types. They kill their own first.

Doesn't that come later?

[BAllen]

Doesn't that come later?

Not according to that communist Russian defector. He said they get rid of jane fondas first because they know more about it, and would be the most vocal opponents once they realize what they've been supporting.

[DamianTV]

To be a supporter, all one really has to do is to not speak the truth when they know the truth. That is the only thing necessary for evil to triumph.