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Thread: Stop Smart Meter Letter (Presence)

  1. #1

    Stop Smart Meter Letter (Presence)

    This thread is in response to a letter posted by presence in another thread. As an expert, I'd like to separate fact from fiction.
    TO: Agent for Service @ (utility)
    President .....
    Vice-President .....
    ADDRESS

    DATE
    RE: your address

    NOTICE OF NO CONSENT TO TRESPASS AND SURVEILLANCE, NOTICE OF LIABILITY

    Sent By Certified Mail

    Dear President ...., Vice-President... , agents, officers, employees, contractors and interested parties:


    Be advised, you and all other parties are HEREBY DENIED CONSENT for installation and use of any and all “Smart Meters” or any other surveillance and activity monitoring device, or devices, at the above property. Installation and use of any surveillance and activity monitoring device that sends and receives communications technology is hereby refused and prohibited. Informed consent is legally required for installation of any surveillance device and any device that will collect and transmit private and personal data to undisclosed and unauthorized parties for undisclosed and unauthorized purposes. Authorization for sharing of personal and private information may only be given by the originator and subject of that information. That authorization is hereby denied and refused with regard to the above property and all its occupants. “Smart Meters” violate the law and cause endangerment to residents by the following factors:

    1. They individually identify electrical devices inside the home and record when they are operated causing invasion of privacy.

    2. They monitor household activity and occupancy in violation of rights and domestic security.

    3. They transmit wireless signals which may be intercepted by unauthorized and unknown parties. Those signals can be used to monitor behavior and occupancy and they can be used by criminals to aid criminal activity against the occupants.

    4. Data about occupant’s daily habits and activities are collected, recorded and stored in permanent databases which are accessed by parties not authorized or invited to know and share that private data by those whose activities were recorded.

    5. Those with access to the smart meter databases can review a permanent history of household activities complete with calendar and time-of-day metrics to gain a highly invasive and detailed view of the lives of the occupants.

    6. Those databases may be shared with, or fall into the hands of criminals, blackmailers, corrupt law enforcement, private hackers of wireless transmissions, power company employees, and other unidentified parties who may act against the interests of the occupants under metered surveillance.

    7. “Smart Meters” are, by definition, surveillance devices which violate Federal and State wiretapping laws by recording and storing databases of private and personal activities and behaviors without the consent or knowledge of those people who are monitored.

    8. It is possible for example, with analysis of certain “Smart Meter” data, for unauthorized and distant parties to determine medical conditions, sexual activities, and physical locations of persons within the home, vacancy patterns and personal information and habits of the occupants.

    9. Your company has not adequately disclosed the particular recording and transmission capabilities of the smart meter, or the extent of the data that will be recorded, stored and shared, or the purposes to which the data will and will not be put.

    10. Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency energy contamination from smart meters exceeds allowable safe and healthful limits for domestic environments as determined by the EPA and other scientific programs.

    11. Smart meters can be hacked and will be hacked. The small CPU in these meters cannot protect itself as good as a home PC can, and home PCs are well known for being compromised. By deploying these in the millions with the same exact software and hardware they become a huge target and will endanger the community if an attacker can switch the power on and off from remote in mass. This makes these Smart Meters dangerous and a liability to the ratepayers who would have to ultimately pay for any damage.

    12. Smart meters are not protected from EMP attacks, large EMPs or localized EMPs as simple as a kid with a battery and a coil (Electro Magnetic Pulse).

    13. Disabling the receiver will not prevent other forms of “hacks”. For example a malicious attacker could confuse the internal CPU, reset it, change random memory locations, change the KWH reading, force a power disconnect, or completely disable a smart meter with a simple coil of wire and a small battery. This can’t happen with a mechanical meter. It is well known that a wide EMP can take out car computers; smart meters will now make that possible on the city wide electric infrastructure.

    14. A thief or burglar could the same EMP or hacking methods to turn off the house power even if the electrical switch box is locked.

    15. Encryption of data is irrelevant due to well known “Tempest” attacks; see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TEMPEST where an attacker monitors internal electrical switching signals of a CPU or other internal components from a distance. Governments have developed standards covering this. Compromising emanations are defined as unintentional intelligence-bearing signals which, if intercepted and analyzed, may disclose the information transmitted, received, handled, or otherwise processed by any information-processing equipment, like in Smart Meters. This would violate customers’ privacy and any privacy policy the power company has at this time.

    16. Turning off the RF transmitter is irrelevant due to the well-known “Tempest” attacks, the RF wireless transmitter is not needed in these attacks and disabling the RF transmitter completely negates any advantages of these Smart Meters or their costs anyway.

    17. Data about an occupant’s daily habits and activities are collected, recorded and stored in permanent databases which can be accessed by parties not authorized or invited to know and share that private data by those whose activities were recorded. This can be done by cyber-attacks or disgruntled employees and has been done before where the attacked company may not know of the intrusion for months.

    18. The power company has not adequately disclosed the encryption or security methods to the public. The source code to any data encryption must be open source and peer reviewed by the security community at large in order to be as secure as is currently possible. Security by obscurity is no security at all.

    19. Previously it was “fair” that the power company had to go to a lot of trouble to adjust the mechanical meter to read more than it should since they had to come out to do it manually. People can’t modify the mechanical meter because it’s locked up; the power company probably won’t do it because it’s just too costly, and so that was “fair enough”. Now with the smart meters they can change it anytime they wish by remote and with little risk that the customer will know. Why should customers trust a company that only has profits and stock price in mind? With possible modification of computer code or measurement values / ratios from remote, who will overlook them? Who will ever know? This is an unfair practice and a liability to the ratepayers.

    20. The power company has misled the public and the Public Utility Commission by leaving out publicly available facts and information regarding smart meters. There are many downsides to this new technology that the power company has not presented to the general public or the Public Utility Commission. Information is slanted and doesn’t address the negative issues fully.

    21. Smart meter installation is not mandatory. The Public Utilities Commission only gave permission to install the meters. There is no forced mandate. The PUC has no such delegated authority from the People to make a forced mandate. If they did make a forced mandate, it’s clearly null and void on its face. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 really only covers Federal areas within the limited jurisdiction of the CONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITED United States Government, even if it did apply, it also only mandates that a power company “offer” smart meters to the public, upon customer request.


    Any suggestion by the power company to customers
    that smart meters are mandatory is
    a false statement, fraudulent, and false commercial speech
    which is punishable by law
    and also opens the power company to liability via lawsuit.


    22. The power company has no delegated authority from the People to install a security risking, privacy invading, health threatening, hackable, unfair billing, or wide power grid security threatening device on anyone’s property.

    23. Smart meters by default are not programmed to “run backwards”, like the current mechanical meters do now. Making it harder for people to go “green” with solar panels or wind turbines using a low cost Grid Tie Inverter. The PUC has shown the intent over and over of encouraging the public to go “green”, the power company’s website and public disclosures show intent in this direction. The PUC allows the power company to charge an extra fee for “green projects”. Smart meters go against the PUC’s intent and the public interest by making it more difficult for people to install small solar or “green power” installations and gain KWH “credits” in power that they can use at a later time.

    24. It is well known to electronic and computer engineers that a high voltage spike, such as a nearby lightning strike, or EMP can change memory bits in normal memory or EEPROM memory (Electronically Programmable Memory that is non-volatile) by adding extra electrons to the small memory cells. This can change internal smart meter settings like the KWH calibration data or other settings that may change the rate of power charged without the customer or power company ever knowing about it. This can’t happen with a mechanical meter.

    25. Installation of a smart meter will lower this property’s value due to all the stated issues and controversy. This could subject ALL the ratepayers to higher rates due to lawsuit claims for value lost. The power company has no delegated authority from the People to use its easement or install equipment in a way that will lower property values or make a property less desirable to a buyer.

    I demand an immediate stop to the installation of all Smart Meters until all issues are resolved, the Smart Meters to be removed at customers request with no extra charge, an opt-in only for customers who are properly and fully informed and that must have this technology for their own specific need. This is in the public’s best interest.

    I demand an immediate investigation into these issues by the Public Utilities Commission.

    I demand that the Public Utilities Commission immediately order the power company to fully inform all customers of ALL the known facts, including complaints and downsides of this technology within 30 days.

    I reserve the right to amend this notice and complaint at any time, this is not a complete list of concerns since this technology is new and new information is being found every day. Concerns listed here are not in any particular order.

    I forbid, refuse and deny consent of any installation and use of any monitoring, eavesdropping, and surveillance devices on my property, my place of residence and my place of occupancy. That applies to and includes “Smart Meters” and surveillance and activity monitoring devices of any and all kinds. Any attempt to install any such device directed at me, other occupants, my property or residence will constitute trespass, stalking, wiretapping and unlawful surveillance and endangerment of health and safety, all prohibited and punishable by law through criminal and civil complaints. All persons, government agencies and private organizations responsible for installing or operating monitoring devices directed at or recording my activities, which I have not specifically authorized in writing, will be fully liable for any violations, intrusions, harm or negative consequences caused or made possible by those devices whether those negative consequences are justified by “law” or not..

    This is legal notice.

    After this delivery the liabilities listed above may not be denied or avoided by parties named and implied in this notice. Civil Servant immunities and protections do not apply to the installation of smart meters due to the criminal violations they represent.

    Notice to principal is notice to agent and notice to agent is notice to principal. All rights reserved.

    Your signature
    Your name
    Your address

    (copies of these letters could also be sent to your local county and city representatives to educate them and update them on all the issues and concerns and ask them to ban the installations in their local community, like has been done in 47 places so far in CA, and also get local investigative media reporters up to speed.)
    1. False. They do not. If your smart meter is connected to PCT's (Programmable Controllable Thermostats) in your home, you can get this feature, but you would have to have these hooked up yourself. A smart meter is not capable of this feature without PCT's or IHD's (In-Home devices)
    2. This is worded poorly, but it's kind of true. Smart meters are capable of understanding your specific normal usage down the the 5 minute interval. They can tell you how much power presence would normally use at 4:00pm on a Sunday in July when the temperature is 90 degrees outside. And your usage would be flagged if it was much different than expected.
    3. Absolutely true. While we have sophisticated security measures, they are constantly being hacked and patched just like anything else. As soon as we discover a breach of security, we will fix it, but how many people's info would be compromised in the meantime?
    4. False. At least for now. The information is collected and stored, but it is not turned over to 3rd parties unless you request it. Some people actually do this so they can shop for lower generation rates. It will not be turned over without your permission, though. However, this is now. Who's to say the government won't subpeona this info? What happens 10 years from now when they want to cut more power? Do they ask for all info to be turned over to the government so their analysts can punish the high users?
    5. True. But the archived information is regularly pruged since the files become too large.
    6. True. But same as number 3.
    7. False. Personally, I believe this is true, but so far, they haven't legally met that definition.
    8. Some true, some false. This one is pretty vague. A hacker would be able to see patterns, but I question the type of patterns they are talking about here.
    9. Probably a case by case basis depending on the company, but most companies understand the sensitive nature of these programs and try to inform their customers to the best of their ability. There are no secrets, but some of the technology is a little hard to understand so people naturally, misunderstand it.
    10. False. The health concerns from smart meters is completely overblown. While there is concern, there is absolutely no proof that the signals cause medical issues. The smart meters do NOT exceed allowable limits. In fact, depending on the type of meter, most of them are about 1/10th of the power of the cell phone you are putting up to your head.
    11. True. See number 3. However, the firmware can be updated remotely. Once a problem is discovered, you can easily update each meter with a fix. Still... that AFTER the problem is found.
    12. True. But your old meter can suffer the same fate.
    13. Unsure. Sorry, I'm not sure what they're talking about here. I guess they saw a demo some place, but it must have been with an older meter.
    14. True. But there are plenty of way to shut off your power even without a smart meter. In fact, at least with a smart meter, any tempering will be known by the company immediately.
    15. True. See number 3.
    16. False. Any interference sends alarms back to the Meter Data Management System. (I suppose it's possible to hide the interference by making it look like it's being sent but not received. It would trigger an alarm, but it might take some time before anyone would respond to that type of alarm.)
    17. True and False. Hacking can occur, but the information is restricted to authorized people and cannot be given to 3rd parties unless you request it.
    18. This would be kind of self-defeating. Let me see, you want them to keep the info secure, but you want them to make public the information about how they're keeping it secure? I'm sure the hackers would love that info.
    19. False. This is a complete misunderstanding of how metering works and how utilities operate.
    20. True, but misleading. I can't speak for every state, but in most locations, smart meters are something that are being forced upon utilities and not something for which we are asking. When the government tells us to research this, we give them all the info we can give. And most of this info is made public through PUC documentation. (Again, I can't speak for every state or every company, but I'm sure it's usually the same.) The utility companies are not trying to pull a trick on their customers. In fact, we stand to lose a lot of money if people start to adjust their usage habits based upon their new detailed information.
    21. FALSE! Again, this is state by state, but in PA, it was absolutely mandated. Look up PA Act 129. They are right that it is not federally mandated yet, but they're still trying.
    22. False. But again, it depends on the state.
    23. False. Again, they misunderstand how smart meters work. Most of the new meters are actually bi-directional. Which means they don't run "backwards" but they do capture delivered and received. Billing of these will vary by company.
    24. False. This can happen with any type of meter. It usually makes them run slower, not faster. However, when this happens to a smart meter, the company will receive a flag almost immediately. So you won't be getting that discount for very long if your meter breaks.
    25. Unsure. But neither are they. This is specualtion and pretty doubtful. Especially, if all the other homes in the area have the same metering.

    Opt-in/opt-out provisions vary by state. In PA, the government does not allow you to opt-out. I believe CA is starting to allow opt-out if you pay an extra fee. I highly doubt this document would hold up in court - especially in those states that are mandating the installs. It may slow down the installer, though. They may take the order back to the company a couple of times before it gets resolved. This will not negate the easement. You can negate the easement by cancelling your service, but as long as you are getting power and have their property on your home, they have a right to change it to any equipment they want.

    To sum up:
    Not a health risk.
    Serious concerns about privacy.
    Serious concerns about how government will direct the utilities to use this information in the future.
    Serious hacking concerns. Same as with any wireless computer.
    If you don't want one, call your PUC, Call your representatives, Call your power company, and make a stink. BUT DON'T ASSAULT THE WORKERS!!!
    "And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works." - Bastiat

    "It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." - Voltaire



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  3. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by CaptUSA View Post
    BUT DON'T ASSAULT THE WORKERS!!!
    It's called a warrant, CaptUSA. Either get one, or GTFO.
    It's all about taking action and not being lazy. So you do the work, whether it's fitness or whatever. It's about getting up, motivating yourself and just doing it.
    - Kim Kardashian

    Donald Trump / Crenshaw 2024!!!!

    My pronouns are he/him/his

  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by bxm042 View Post
    It's called a warrant, CaptUSA. Either get one, or GTFO.
    You have another thread for your misunderstandings of property rights. This thread is about giving people an accurate description of the issues with smart meters.
    "And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works." - Bastiat

    "It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." - Voltaire

  5. #4
    “The spirits of darkness are now among us. We have to be on guard so that we may realize what is happening when we encounter them and gain a real idea of where they are to be found. The most dangerous thing you can do in the immediate future will be to give yourself up unconsciously to the influences which are definitely present.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by CaptUSA View Post
    You have another thread for your misunderstandings of property rights. This thread is about giving people an accurate description of the issues with smart meters.
    If you don't want to get into that discussion here, then keep your pussy-promoting editorializing to yourself, and let people make their own decisions on whether or not to stand up for their rights
    Last edited by TheTexan; 07-22-2012 at 02:59 PM.
    It's all about taking action and not being lazy. So you do the work, whether it's fitness or whatever. It's about getting up, motivating yourself and just doing it.
    - Kim Kardashian

    Donald Trump / Crenshaw 2024!!!!

    My pronouns are he/him/his

  7. #6
    I just want to subscribe to the thread because I seem to have spawned it. I do want to note that I was re-posting the above mentioned "form letter" from an "advocacy site" I quickly googled up. I did add emphasis through bold/color alteration. I have no legal background on this subject beyond cursory internet research of the laws in various US states.

    My bottom line on the subject is if you want to track how much power I use each month... I don't have a problem with it. But if you want to track how much power I use every 5 minutes?

    That's PEEPING TOM; its none of your damn business when my wife is washing her underwear.


    To sum up:
    Not a health risk.
    Serious concerns about privacy.
    Serious concerns about how government will direct the utilities to use this information in the future.
    Serious hacking concerns. Same as with any wireless computer.
    If you don't want one, call your PUC, Call your representatives, Call your power company, and make a stink.

    BUT DON'T ASSAULT THE WORKERS!!!

    Generally I agree. But I'm still gonna post a copy of that form letter on my rusty old meter can. If nothing else, to foul the gears. Hopefully doing so gives me notice and options before I am fitted with one of these voyeur devices.

    That said, If you don't want a new digital meter, and you find yourself in a forced situation:

    I do suggest you resort to discontinuing service and asking for their new meter/monitor combo to be promptly removed from YOUR meter can, in protest, prior to pointing a firearm at an electrician doing his job. I'm an electrician.

    1. They individually identify electrical devices inside the home and record when they are operated causing invasion of privacy.
    1. False. They do not. If your smart meter is connected to PCT's (Programmable Controllable Thermostats) in your home, you can get this feature, but you would have to have these hooked up yourself. A smart meter is not capable of this feature without PCT's or IHD's (In-Home devices)
    I thoroughly disagree with your assessment of #1. When a 4500 watt water heater kicks on, it's a 4500 watt water heater there is no getting around it. When a 60w 120w or 240w spike shows up... you just turned on a light switch with 1, 2 or 4 60w bulbs. 1500w: a heating element. 450w Your PC just booted. 1235w your new plasma screen just turned on. It doesn't say "water heater" on the report: It shows a 4500w tell-tale spike. These minute by minute reports most definitely define

    what you use
    and when you use it.

    They may not give brand name, they may not distinguish toasters from hair dryers. But a good investigator with good intution will quickly uncover personal habits by reading a minute by minute electrical usage report.

    Why is anyone even interested? Aside from sickos wanting to know when my wife washes her undies?

    The drug war: 1000w HPS and MH lights kicking on and off on 12 hour cycles in warehouses to grow MJ.

    So the rest of America is cajoled into giving up more of their privacy so that they may be more "secure" from the evil "illicit drug manufacturers".

    Now again... I don't recommend you point a gun at your lineman, but...

    post#49 from bxm042:
    http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post4546011

    Contracts are of a civil nature, not criminal. They're enforced in civil courts.

    The difference between civil & criminal is generally that civil suits are intended to be restorative (ie, to recover damages from a broken contract), whereas criminal offenses land you in jail.

    Breaking the contract (just assuming for now that it was broken... power company lawyers are well paid) is not a crime. But staying on a woman's property after she tells you to leave... that absolutely is a crime.

    If you are an electrician, just doing your job, and someone does pull a gun on you and tells you to get off their land. Don't expect some dusty contract stored in some sleazy corporate office to save your life. Pack up your $#@! and get on.

    presence
    Last edited by presence; 07-22-2012 at 07:26 PM.

    'We endorse the idea of voluntarism; self-responsibility: Family, friends, and churches to solve problems, rather than saying that some monolithic government is going to make you take care of yourself and be a better person. It's a preposterous notion: It never worked, it never will. The government can't make you a better person; it can't make you follow good habits.' - Ron Paul 1988

    Awareness is the Root of Liberation Revolution is Action upon Revelation

    'Resistance and Disobedience in Economic Activity is the Most Moral Human Action Possible' - SEK3

    Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.

    ...the familiar ritual of institutional self-absolution...
    ...for protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment...




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