Posts Tagged ‘surveillance’
War on privacy
What a great MAD magazine cover! {insert pointed local reference of your choice here} – P via @iA
Denial is not just a river in Egypt #GCSB
“I don’t think the inquiry was a botch-up at all” [Chief executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Andrew Kibblewhite] said, although mistakes were made about providing certain information. Right. All good, then? Read coverage of the Privileges committee ‘hearing’ into the just ever so slightly botched-up inquiry set up by GCSB minister John […]
‘a good way to divert attention from the uproar over the N.S.A.’s data-collection programs’
It’s really hard not to see this, from the New York Times in the context of my posts Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point Qaeda Messages Prompt U.S. Terror Warning WASHINGTON — The United States intercepted electronic communications this week among senior operatives of Al Qaeda, in which the […]
Claims of ‘terrorist plots’ debunked in US — ‘not buying it’
From June … Ron Paul on NSA: They Have To Justify Their Existence, Otherwise They’re Out Of Work Relevant, huh? Especially the comment ‘Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile’. Where are New Zealand’s right wing libertarians on this surveillance issue? (Serious question.) – P
An important article by Andrea Vance & some thoughts about democracy in NZ
Seriously, read this: Spy scandal journalist speaks out Maybe I’m ‘conflicted’, since I’ve worked in the press gallery — back when it was where it should be: in the corridor on the 2nd floor of Parliament Buildings, a short stroll from the actual Parliamentary Press Gallery. I’ve used the swipe-cards, used the Parliamentary Service-provided phone […]
With respect, Mr Key, you misjudge me.
In an interview broadcast on state broadcaster (well, for now) TVNZ’s Q&A current affairs programme this morning, John Key characterised New Zealanders who’ve expressed dissent about his GCSB Bill, and specifically the thousands of us who took part in protest rallies throughout the country yesterday, as “either politically aligned or misinformed“. Listen to this 20 […]
Photos from Auckland ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rally
Here are some photos of the main speakers at today’s ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rally in Auckland. Click to view them larger. Feel free to use these images if you wish (with picture credit to Peter Aranyi, please) or contact me to get a higher resolution file.
‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rallies and marches today
You may have heard there were protest rallies around New Zealand today, demonstrating public opposition to John Key’s proposed expansion of surveillance powers of the GCSB. I went along to the Auckland one. It was packed. Here’s a panorama I took of the crowd at Aotea Square (it’s two photos stitched). For me, one of […]
Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point
All over the world right wing politicians are justifying encroachments on their citizens’ civil liberties with references to the 9-11 terrorist attack or the spectre of a similar outrage. In the US, Republican presidential-possible Governor Chris Christie has just had a crack at it, whacking ‘libertarian’ concerns about privacy and civil liberties as ‘esoteric’ or […]
The slippery slope: Dissent > Protest > Politics
Rick Falkvinge on civil liberties in the age of the internet. “The old guard is introducing censorship, wire-tapping, an end to anonymity — a crackdown on free speech.” “If the old politicians understood that the laws they are making are the equivalent of putting microphones under every cafe table … ” (cf: like Urban Cafe? […]
Photos from the ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ public meeting
I went along to the packed public meeting at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall. Standing room only. Here are some photos. Click to view them larger. Feel free to use these images if you wish (with picture credit to Peter Aranyi, please) or contact me to get a higher resolution file.
Must-read essay on John Key’s proposed spying laws
New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond has used Prime Minister John Key’s own warnings while Leader of the Opposition about ‘threats to democracy’ to condemn his planned law changes empowering the country’s spy agencies. In an essay published by the NZ Herald today, the highly respected author accuses the National Party-led government of […]
Do you find John Key’s case for expanding the powers of the GCSB convincing?
Courtesy of the NZ Herald, Key: Cyber attacks, espionage targeting NZ Do you find that clearly-scripted (by whom?) statement convincing? Because it seems the New Zealand Law Society (hardly a bunch of far-left conspiracy theorists) doesn’t appear to: Here’s the New Zealand Law Society’s view: Summary 3 The Bill changes the Government Communications Security Bureau […]
Plain sailing?
Pretty sharp cartoon from Emmerson in today’s NZ Herald: But last night’s Campbell Live report on the GCSB bill featuring an international observer* expressing astonishment at the Key Administration ‘kissing the feet’ of Washington DC, tells a different story. Watch it: Dissecting the GCSB bill The team Campbell Live is doing a sterling job … […]
On Bain rifle fingerprints
Earlier this week I saw Frank Mackasy described as an ‘another activist’ making submissions on the proposed GCSB bill at the Intelligence & Security committee…. Earlier, another activist Frank Macskasy told the committee the existing oversight of intelligence agencies hadn’t worked. Mr Macskasy said he was concerned that within a few years the GCSB and […]
