] 'COINTELPRO is an acronym for the FBI's domestic
] "counterintelligence programs" to neutralize political
] dissidents. Although covert operations have been employed
] throughout FBI history, the formal COINTELPRO's of
] 1956-1971 were broadly targeted against radical political
] organizations.
]
] The origins of COINTELPRO were rooted in the Bureau's
] operations against hostile foreign intelligence services.
] Counterintelligence, of course, goes beyond
] investigation; it refers to actions taken to neutralize
] enemy agents.
]
] "Counterintelligence" was a misnomer for the FBI
] programs, since the targets were American political
] dissidents, not foreign spies. In the atmosphere of the
] Cold War, the American Communist Party was viewed as a
] serious threat to our national security. Over the years,
] anti- Communist paranoia extended to civil rights,
] anti-war, and many other groups. As John Edgar Hoover,
] longtime Director of the FBI, put it
]
] The forces which are most anxious to weaken our internal
] security are not always easy to identify. Communists
] have been trained in deceit and secretly work toward the
] day when they hope to replace our American way of life
] with a Communist dictatorship. They utilize cleverly
] camouflaged movements, such as peace groups and civil
] rights groups to achieve their sinister purposes. While
] they as individuals are difficult to identify, the
] Communist party line is clear. Its first concern is the
] advancement of Soviet Russia and the godless Communist
] cause. It is important to learn to know the enemies of
] the American way of life.
]
] Although today this may sound ridiculous, the
] implications were deadly serious for the thousands of
] people who became COINTELPRO targets. After many years of
] investigating and disrupting these groups, the Bureau
] could not find evidence that any of them were
] foreign-controlled.
]
] These programs were exposed to the public following an
] unsolved break-in into the FBI's Media, PA resident
] agency, separate lawsuits by NBC correspondent Carl Stern
] and the Socialist Workers' Party, and then a US Senate
] investigation led by Senator Frank Church. Although the
] FBI's COINTELPRO's officially ended in 1971, there have
] been many examples of counterintelligence-type operations
] against political dissidents since.'

If you are not familiar with the counter intelligence programs that were put in place to monitor dissidents, then you should be. Especially considering the current atmosphere. There is history here that tells an ominous story about what people in power tend to do when left unchecked by the populace. The PATRIOT Act is potentially only the beginning of some very bad juju.

COINTELPRO

The FBI's investigation into The Farm (Tennessee). An important read for anyone who still thinks that increasing domestic surveillance via the FBI is a good idea.

Hoover and The Farm

Relevant to some discussions I have been having with friends.

O'Reilly Network: Network Forensics: Tapping the Internet

How would Bush like to have "observational research" in the Oval Office?

William Safire on postmodern privacy.

The Intrusion Explosion

A new book from Richard Hunter, VP of security research at Gartner, published by John Wiley & Sons, available now. ISBN 0471218162. 304 pages.

Hunter asks: "Is the convenience of being known everywhere worth the risk of being known everywhere?"

Rapid technological innovation is moving us towards a world of ubiquitous computing-a world in which we are surrounded by smart machines that are always on, always aware, and always monitoring us. These developments will create a world virtually without secrets in which information is widely available and analyzable worldwide. This environment will certainly affect business, government, and the individual alike, dramatically affecting the way organizations and individuals interact. This book explores the implications of the coming world and suggests and explores policy options that can protect individuals and organizations from exploitation and safeguard the implicit contract between employees, businesses, and society itself. World Without Secrets casts an unflinching eye on a future we may not necessarily desire, but will experience.

Worth a look, although Publishers Weekly laments, "very little is resolved" by the end of the book. Amazon.com offers up the first chapter of the book (available at the logged URL).

[Are you worried? Try http://www.evidence-eliminator.com/ . I just tried their product and it seems comprehensive! --Randy]

_World Without Secrets: Business, Crime and Privacy in the Age of Ubiquitous Computing_

Yeah, we don't need any basic freedoms. Just keep on rolling them back in the name of "freedom." What a bunch of jokers. Yes, our politicians are really this stupid.

Safe and Free: Safe and Free in Times of Crisis