Did Mark Zuckerberg Just Expose Big-Tech's Real Endgame? Ousting Trump
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/did-mark-zuckerberg-just-expose-big-techs-real-endgame-ousting-trump
The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the world in many ways - globalized supply chain fragilties are exposed, proximity to poverty (even in developed markets) has been exposed, lack of preparedness is now obvious everywhere, and everyone is now a social-distancing germophobe; but hey, on the bright side, pollution is down (so there's that).
While the headlines scream about the need for bailouts, rescues, handouts for large- and small-businesses and even more so 'average Americans', there is one trend, that was occurring before the pandemic struck, that has accelerated drastically (and is willingly accepted and demanded by many) - the tyrannical surge in the surveillance state.
Liberty Nation's Laura Valkovic noted earlier today:
"As the Coronavirus has heightened fear and threatened health across the world, it has been the perfect time for new surveillance measures to be rolled out. Will tracking the global populace aid in stopping the spread of COVID-19, or does the virus simply make for a convenient excuse? And what will become of these digital surveillance strategies once the virus is either overcome or simply accepted as part of our new reality?"
Top10VPN, a VPN advice website, has published a COVID-19 Digital Rights Tracker, logging instances of digital tracking, physical surveillance, and censorship brought about by the virus. “Some of these may well be proportionate, necessary, and legitimate during these unprecedented times. However, others have been rushed through legislative bodies and implemented without adequate scrutiny,” states the site. “As the virus continues to spread around the world, so too do sophisticated surveillance measures and restrictive censorship practices.”
Asia is still leading the scoreboard when it comes to censorship, but Europe quickly caught up and surpassed everyone in the digital-tracking stakes. Physical surveillance is a more even split between those two continents and North America.
Here is a sampling of measures from around the world:
Taiwan has erected an “electronic fence” that monitors phone signals and notifies police if anyone who is supposed to be in quarantine leaves their homes. Authorities can contact or visit the offenders within 15 minutes. Ecuador has a similar “epidemiological fence” monitored by satellite. (Have we reached the point where people can no longer conceive of leaving their homes without their device – even if this is how the police surveil them?)
Hong Kong has handed out location-tracking wristbands for those in quarantine. At least these can be discarded after the COVID-19 crisis and do not track one’s personal device.
Poland launched an app that not only tracks locations but also forces people to take a photo of themselves at certain intervals so that the location data can be cross-referenced with facial recognition. This is intended to simulate a police visit.
Various countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Austria, are collecting anonymized location data from smartphones.
Aerial drones have been used in Australia, Belgium, Spain, and the U.K. to patrol public places – New York City used helicopters to much the same effect.
In the U.S., anonymized location tracking has been the primary mode of digital surveillance, and the White House is reportedly in talks with tech companies to utilize smartphone GPS data.
Silicon Valley companies – most notably Google and Apple – were quick to jump on the location tracking bandwagon. More recently, start-ups Tectonix and X-Mode traced the movements of phones that had been present on one Fort Lauderdale, FL, beach gathering, before the attendees dispersed across the Eastern Seaboard. Tectonix then uploaded the video on Twitter to promote social distancing.
“Without adequate tracking, there is a danger that these new, often highly invasive measures will become the norm around the world,” Samuel Woodhams, Top10VPN’s Digital Rights Lead, told Business Insider. “Although some may appear entirely legitimate, many pose a risk to citizens’ right to privacy and freedom of expression.”
“There is a risk that many of these new capabilities will continue to be used following the outbreak,” Woodhams continued.
“This is particularly significant as many of the new measures have avoided public and political scrutiny and do not include sunset clauses.”
For now, any progress on re-opening the economy appears to be a combination of technological tracking and "testing, testing, testing!" As President Trump tweeted earlier today:..
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/did-mark-zuckerberg-just-expose-big-techs-real-endgame-ousting-trump