So many of us knew, or at least suspected, that we are under the level of scrutiny that has now been confirmed. And one of the disturbing things is – not that many people in Australia seem to care… there is a bit of a ‘she’ll be right mate’ and assumption that this is just the way it is… ‘if you have nothing to hide you shouldn’t have anything to worry about’.
Apart from… you know…basic civil liberties, an assumption of innocence and right to privacy.
But whatever.
Prism, and the revelations from the courageous Edward Snowden, of the extent of data tracking done by the NSA concern all of us – certainly in Australia, as revealed by consistent questioning by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, whose office has long sought answers and some vague sense of accountability from ASIO and other agencies. We love the basic simplicity of the GET A WARRANT legislation they are proposing, even though it seems to go against the grain of the Orwellian doublespeak that seems mandatory for government these days.
In any case there is much more to write on the issue, and we will surely find out more as this story continues to unfold – but it is a good reminder to all activists to look into their security and measures to minimise data that can be gathered through surveillance.
See our resources page for information on ‘security culture’ and counter surveillance measures, as well as legal overview and case studies. In the meantime – try this and this, for basic tools to get a bit of an eye opener on how large your digital footprint is.