It has become clear that the United States government is spying on it’s citizens in the name of preventing “terrorism.” Just exactly what they are doing is under debate. Most experts outside the government itself seem to believe it is mathematically impossible for such surveillance to be effective. Many private citizens are asking what they can do (and here are two places to start).
But I’d like to mention a personal security breach that many people overlook: making private phone calls in public places.
Over the weekend, I did some shopping. Naturally, it was in a crowded public place. Nevertheless I heard several people having extremely sensitive phone calls and being really loud about it. The only way I could have avoided listening was to leave the area. Among the topics of conversation:
- Legal troubles
- An upcoming divorce (“Oh he doesn’t know it, but it will be good for him!”)
- Personal health issues
- Undergarments (No, I won’t be more specific)
Granted, nobody was discussing a hit, bomb, or robbery, but that is beside the point. These same people probably would be outraged that some cop could get a recording of that call, but all the cop has to do is ask random shoppers what they were talking about! No warrant required. I would gladly tell the officer what the obnoxiously loud lady who damn near ran over me with her cart was talking about.
More irony, these people probably use Amazon to buy their “embarrassing” items, the stuff they don’t want some cashier to know about.
Value your privacy? Step one is to STFU.
In Closing: running; facial recognition; jobs; girls on film.