Gyroscopic Investing

Would I get in trouble if I said I like Edward Snowden? https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ ... y-industry. Not that I actually do--I mean, I'm just asking, you know, for a friend. Not that I have any personal interest in all this, I just have an academic interest. On behalf of my friend.

But it does make me wonder why people continue to carry cell phones.

I'll worry about that after I get the muzzle off my face.

https://old.reddit.com/r/LockdownSkepti ... _die_from/

If someone is after you personally, they have you. End of story. If you seriously have a problem with that then go without electronic communications of any sort. That's really your only option.

A shocking thought? Get used to it, that's the truth.

I'll go out on a limb and say it: I think Edward Snowden was a self-sacrificing hero who hopefully will be remembered that way. I think we would eventually have become aware of the extent of the Big-Brother-like "surveillance state" we now live under, but probably several years later.

In the end unfortunately it may have made little difference, because the surveillance continues and there's nothing we can do about it, short of disappearing into the wilderness and living entirely off grid and without any communications services. The best we can hope for is that the surveillance state is so awash in data that they are unlikely to be much of a threat to individuals unless there's a specific reason why they want to go after you (or your friend).

I'm more worried about forums like this one. While we are all posting anonymously, our identities can be found because of the link with email addresses and originating IP address. That's why I won't post anything even remotely political on Reddit - it's too big a target. Similarly, I have completely stopped posting on Facebook, Doximity (signup to that was actually required by my employer), and LinkedIn, and will not join any more social media sites e.g. I don't have a Twitter account. This forum is small potatoes and the FBI is unlikely to waste time on it for that reason. Unless one of our number gets labeled as a "terrorist" and is prosecuted, but hopefully everyone here is way too boring for that.

WiseOne wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:50 am
I'll go out on a limb and say it: I think Edward Snowden was a self-sacrificing hero who hopefully will be remembered that way. I think we would eventually have become aware of the extent of the Big-Brother-like "surveillance state" we now live under, but probably several years later.

In the end unfortunately it may have made little difference, because the surveillance continues and there's nothing we can do about it, short of disappearing into the wilderness and living entirely off grid and without any communications services. The best we can hope for is that the surveillance state is so awash in data that they are unlikely to be much of a threat to individuals unless there's a specific reason why they want to go after you (or your friend).

I'm more worried about forums like this one. While we are all posting anonymously, our identities can be found because of the link with email addresses and originating IP address. That's why I won't post anything even remotely political on Reddit - it's too big a target. Similarly, I have completely stopped posting on Facebook, Doximity (signup to that was actually required by my employer), and LinkedIn, and will not join any more social media sites e.g. I don't have a Twitter account. This forum is small potatoes and the FBI is unlikely to waste time on it for that reason. Unless one of our number gets labeled as a "terrorist" and is prosecuted, but hopefully everyone here is way too boring for that.

That has ALWAYS been my stance. I cannot even keep up on all that comes my way. Seems levels more difficult for some entity to keep on top of me and innumerable others at the same time. NOT at all saying that it is impossible. But am saying that the probabilities are so low that it's not a concern of mine.

WiseOne wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:50 am Unless one of our number gets labeled as a "terrorist" and is prosecuted, but hopefully everyone here is way too boring for that.

Based on the ever-changing definition of “terrorist” I wouldn’t be so sure…

This is a favorite of mine.

private citizen who is keeping their nose clean legally - US govt, zero to worry about

private citizen who gets on the internet - US tech corporations (and many more), artificial intelligence studying and data basing your every click

If you are really interested in this stuff, you can start here https://fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/

or Google FISA and you will get inundated with info...or you can believe internet conspiracies, whatev

One more (OBTW this is a great blog if you are interested in national security)

https://www.lawfareblog.com/snowden-revelations

Summarizing: I know this comes as a shock, America's communications spy agency is spying on communications. Who woulda thought!?