21st Century Wire says…
Between the data hoovering, the hacking and the infiltration, Big Brother’s subterfuge seems almost limitless.
Just how extensive is the government hacking? Previously, 21WIRE has detailed the disturbing GCHQ training documents which outlines a how-to guide for Online Covert Action which, according to journalist Glenn Greenwald, has also been shared with US agencies like the NSA. It reveals the existence of paid government agent/contractor persons lurking on social media using pseudo names, while befriending members of the alternative media. The government training exercise uses language like “befriend”, “infiltrate”, “mask/mimic”, “ruse”, “set-up”, “disrupt”, “create cognitive stress”, “use deception”, “ruin business relationships”, and “post negative information on appropriate forums” – in a malicious effort to target bloggers, activists, journalists, social event organisers and anyone else deemed to be a ‘emerging leader’ or voice in the public sphere.
As if all that wasn’t enough, the public also have to contend with physical hacking and data theft, too. We know that our governments are breaking laws, but do we know to what extent (how often and how much)?
Is the government intercepting and stealing our emails too? You decide…
Intelligence Services Block Activists’ Emails … And Frame Them With Fake Emails
Is Big Brother blocking your email?
You send an email to a reporter saying that you’ve got proof of criminal wrongdoing by a government official… or a big bank. You never receive a response.
Or you send an email to an expert on monetary policy asking if the Federal Reserve’s policies help the rich at the expense of the little guy… or an expert on radiation asking if the Fukushima accident might endanger public health. You never receive a response.
This might be for any number of perfectly innocent reasons, including:
- Your email ended up in their spam folder
- They’re busy
- They’re not interested enough to write back
- They think you’re a bore or a crank
But there could be another explanation…
By way of background, China has blocked gmail for its citizens.
Yahoo blocked emails relating to the Occupy protests.
Bahrain uses British software that allows the government to frame political activists by creating messages from that person that they never typed. 35 other countries use the same software.
Tunisia monitored and blocked the emails of activists, so they were never delivered. For example:
“There is also technical surveillance whereby downloading or adding attachment to an email must go through a central server.
Under the pretext of protecting public order and national security, a 1998 post and telecommunications law enables the authorities to intercept and check the content of email messages and in fact electronic surveillance such as filtering of email messages of government opponents have been reported. Global Voices Advocacy Director and Tunisia Activist Sami Ben Gharbia conducted a test from the Netherlands with two Tunisia-based activists and confirmed by logging to their email accounts from the Netherlands that what he sees is not what they receive when they login from Tunisia, and that they cannot access some of the messages they receive.”
The Tunisian government used software from Western companies to block emails of political dissidents.
A prominent American political writer said that – if Tunisia is doing it – you can bet that Western countries are, as well.
Indeed, Snowden revealed that the British spy agency GCHQ has developed numerous offensive digital tools, including:
• Ability to deny functionality to send/receive email or view material online.
• Ability to spoof any email address and send email under that identity.
Mass delivery of email messaging to support an ‘Information Operations’ campaign.
The potential for stifling dissent is staggering.
READ MORE BIG BROTHER NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Big Brother
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