FBI: Do You Like Online Privacy? You May Be a Terrorist


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A flyer designed by the FBI and the Department of Justice to promote suspicious activity reporting in internet cafes lists basic tools used for online privacy as potential signs of terrorist activity. The document, part of a program called ?Communities Against Terrorism?, lists the use of ?anonymizers, portals, or other means to shield IP address? as a sign that a person could be engaged in or supporting terrorist activity. The use of encryption is also listed as a suspicious activity along with steganography, the practice of using ?software to hide encrypted data in digital photos? or other media. In fact, the flyer recommends that anyone ?overly concerned about privacy? or attempting to ?shield the screen from view of others? should be considered suspicious and potentially engaged in terrorist activities.

Logging into an account associated with a residential internet service provider (such as Comcast or AOL), an activity that could simply indicate that you are on a trip, is also considered a suspicious activity. Viewing any content related to ?military tactics? including manuals or ?revolutionary literature? is also considered a potential indicator of terrorist activity. This would mean that viewing a number of websites, including the one you are on right now, could be construed by a hapless employee as an highly suspicious activity potentially linking you to terrorism.

The ?Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities? contained in the flyer are not to be construed alone as a sign of terrorist activity and the document notes that ?just because someone?s speech, actions, beliefs, appearance, or way of life is different; it does not mean that he or she is suspicious.? However, many of the activities described in the document are basic practices of any individual concerned with security or privacy online. The use of PGP, VPNs, Tor or any of the many other technologies for anonymity and privacy online are directly targeted by the flyer, which is distributed to businesses in an effort to promote the reporting of these activities.

Source: Public Intelligence

omg are they serious.

i must be a terriost becasue

1 i use a VPN

2 i use truecrypt

3 i loginto a residential ISP

4 i am a army brat and love reading up on military tactic and hardware. (if you are american and own a gun are you also labled a Potential terriost)?

damn, now that ive said these things i might just get arested when i next decide to fly to the usa.

i had better not go paintballing this weekend, i might be training for an attack.

who ever wrote that artical is a nut job.

Anyone who researches say, the American Revolutionary War for educational purposes is a terrorist. Isn't that on almost every curriculum in America?

Also.

American government computers are shielded from view = American government are terrorists.

They forgot this one:

  • Anyone producing and/or distributing scaremongering pamphlets, flyers or official public statements that directly associate perfectly legit computer practices with terrorism should be considered suspicious and potentially engaged in terrorist activities.

LOL This is almost as good as the feminist "you support rape because of everything you do or don't do in life" article. :rofl:

They forgot this one:

  • Anyone producing and/or distributing scaremongering pamphlets, flyers or official public statements that directly associate perfectly legit computer practices with terrorism should be considered suspicious and potentially engaged in terrorist activities.

+1 I wonder why the FBI skipped that one. :laugh:

First you have "terrorist" events in the traditional sense - causing terror to others

Next you create laws dealing with "terrorists" (including their arrest / capture and evenutal detention (with or without trial)) ensuring that the language is vague enough to be slightly ambiguous as to who would be affected

Next you change the defintion of terrorist to include activities / people / situations which are non-traditional

Eventually you distort the meaning of "terrorist" so much the word loses all meaning, but you have all these laws in place ready and waiting to deal with these "threats to national security" etc... and you can pick up anyone from anywhere and get rid of them.

Eventually the word "terrorist" will be anyone who doesnt agree 100% with the government, and anyone who questions official policy. This is fascism pure and simple and something we are all going to fall foul off in the near future. Governments will do anything to hold onto their powerbase and ensure that they and they alone can direct every facet of our lives.

The last thing they need is the population thinking for themselves - questioning what is going on, sharing this information about and effectively trying to reclaim some sort of power over their own lives.

omg are they serious.

i must be a terriost becasue

1 i use a VPN

2 i use truecrypt

3 i loginto a residential ISP

4 i am a army brat and love reading up on military tactic and hardware. (if you are american and own a gun are you also labled a Potential terriost)?

damn, now that ive said these things i might just get arested when i next decide to fly to the usa.

i had better not go paintballing this weekend, i might be training for an attack.

who ever wrote that artical is a nut job.

TERRORIST?!?! Ha with what you're doing they would most likely pin you as responsible solely for 911 with their mindset! :p

I take it the FBI is an open book to all Americans and doesn't hold any secret data or conduct clandestine activities otherwise....

OMG THE FBI ARE TERRORISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

This topic is now closed to further replies.
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