Mulling over Rick Eck to Steve Asher 18 Jan 2006

> If they can, they will, on the pretext of combatting terrorism, improving
> traffic flow, providing emergency services etc.

 RE>      I read through the whole post, and found it very agreeable
 RE> (sp).  But when I got to this point, I had to reply.  Not that I
 RE> disagree with the above.  I completely agree with anything the
 RE> govt. has to do to combat the war on terror!  I am a Vet of Dessert
 RE> Storm, and I believe MOST of what the govt. is doing is for the
 RE> country's good.

What are they doing? The "war on terror" is simply a
"war" on a method
of war. Those using terrorism are using it as a means to an end; in the
case of al Qaeda and similar Islamic groups, it is to establish a global
Caliphate under Sharia Law. Included in this is the destruction of Israel,
and Western nations, such as the USA. With all the might of the US military
in Iraq, the "insurgency" is spreading; even in Afghanistan, the Taliban
and the like are regaining control, much as happened when the West used
the "brave Mujahideen" to defeat or demoralise the Soviet Union.

 RE>      However, we know there are really good hackers out there. 
 RE> Sure there are those who do it as hobbies but there are those out
 RE> there who really want to do harm.  Not only to people they know,
 RE> but others.  Now, good hackers know that there is no system that
 RE> can't be hacked!  So lets say you have a GPS system on your car. 
 RE> And your serial number is in their system.  Maybe not to track you,
 RE> but just there.  A hacker could get your number, track you down,
 RE> and do ????Whatever.  There is no telling.  They already know the
 RE> type of vehicle you drive.  They already know your credit card
 RE> number (got from On Star or whatever service you may have).  See
 RE> where I am going?  This is just one of a million different
 RE> possibilities (sp).

 RE>      Once again, I think GPS is a great thing.  Like you said, it
 RE> has saved many lives!  And it can combat terror!  I am all for it
 RE> in that matter.

How would you (or the powers that be) combat terror with GPS? It might
be possible to track the mobile phones or vehicles of suspected terror
suspects, but that implies that their identities are known. It might
be possible to track the presence of every person or vehicle in the
vicinity of a terror "target" - airport, monument, significant building
or site; but then everyone is a "suspect", and the tracking is for
control.

 RE>   But when it all is said and done, what prevents anyone else from 
 RE> knowing what you are doing?  Do you thing there could be a program 
 RE> installed that may allow the law enforcement to see you, but 
 RE> other's can't?  Even if there was, we know the programmer of that 
 RE> software would have a backdoor, which could be hacked.  The 
 RE> problems are endless..

Yes, and as seen in the last few days, if electronic records are kept,
then it is possible for the Government to demand the records, for some
purpose or another. For now, electronic records, GPS records and the
like leave an audit trail of what we have done and where we have been;
it is possible to use GPS to prevent access to restricted areas, such
as people on home detention not being allowed to deviate from their
normal route to work, or to leave home outside certain hours. It might
be possible to prevent "unauthorised" people from catching a train or
bus, or being near the airport, or underaged people from being near
licenced premises etc etc. So many possibilities for regulation and
control.

Cheers, Steve..

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