CityWatcher.com, a provider of surveillance equipment, attracted little notice itself - until a year ago, when two of its employees had glass-encapsulated microchips with miniature antennas embedded in their forearms.
The "chipping" of two workers with RFIDs - radio frequency identification tags as long as two grains of rice, as thick as a toothpick - was merely a way of restricting access to vaults that held sensitive data and images for police departments, a layer of security beyond key cards and clearance codes, the company said.
Innocuous? Maybe.
To some, the microchip was a wondrous invention - a high-tech helper that could increase security at nuclear plants and military bases, help authorities identify wandering Alzheimer's patients, allow consumers to buy their groceries, literally, with the wave of a chipped hand.
To others, the notion of tagging people was Orwellian, a departure from centuries of history and tradition in which people had the right to go and do as they pleased without being tracked, unless they were harming someone else.
Chipping, these critics said, might start with Alzheimer's patients or Army Rangers, but would eventually be suggested for convicts, then parolees, then sex offenders, then illegal aliens - until one day, a majority of Americans, falling into one category or another, would find themselves electronically tagged. (more)
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Teacher Apologizes for Bugging Colleague
A middle school science teacher charged with bugging a colleague's classroom has pleaded no contest in the case, saying her actions were embarrassing to her and her family.
Anne M. Harvey, 44, of Flushing apologized to the fellow teacher and following her plea Thursday was sentenced to six months of probation and 75 hours of community service. Harvey also was fined $250.
She originally was charged with attempted eavesdropping, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. But she pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of trespassing for eavesdropping.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. (more)
Anne M. Harvey, 44, of Flushing apologized to the fellow teacher and following her plea Thursday was sentenced to six months of probation and 75 hours of community service. Harvey also was fined $250.
She originally was charged with attempted eavesdropping, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. But she pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of trespassing for eavesdropping.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. (more)
SpyCam Story #369
MI - A former township treasurer, Brian Hill, has been found guilty of filming teenage foreign exchange students showering in his home. Hill has been convicted on 13 felony counts, including making and possessing child pornography, and eavesdropping (more)
Spy News
The Usual Suspects...
Maintenance worker charged with spying at nuclear plant. (more)
South Korean man accused of lying about spy activities. (more)
McLaren (auto racing) submit 'spying' defence (more)
Aide to Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney before joining the FBI, pleaded guilty to espionage. (more)
Belarus Intelligence Chief Axed After Spy Scandal (more)
Rice Urges Russia to Extradite Suspect in Spy-Poisoning Case (more)
Bulgaria's spy chief says foreign agencies helped free medics (more)
...and just for nostalgia and fun...
Get clued in to these spy legends (more)
In Fly Spy News...
Robotic Bird Designed to Spy on Humans (more)
Flying robots spy for government (more)
Iran's Spying Squirrels (more)
India to Launch Israeli SAR Spy Satellite (more)
India to buy more Russian spy planes (more)
New-age Ball spy satellite tests A-OK (1-2 foot resolution) (more)
Cheesed-off spooks give up on duff spy-sat (more)
In Workplace Spy News...
Your boss is spying on you right now. What can you do? (more)
Email told assistant to spy, says manager (more)
Spying in the Workplace: Big Money? (more)
Find Out If Your Printer Is Spying on You (more)
In Tanning Salon Spy news...
US - Man accused of spying inside tanning booth (more)
UK - Peeping Tom crashes through ceiling while spying (more)
In Spy Shop News...
Best Find: Spy Shops (more)
17 Cameras Roll as Thieves Break Into Spy Store (more)
Maintenance worker charged with spying at nuclear plant. (more)
South Korean man accused of lying about spy activities. (more)
McLaren (auto racing) submit 'spying' defence (more)
Aide to Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney before joining the FBI, pleaded guilty to espionage. (more)
Belarus Intelligence Chief Axed After Spy Scandal (more)
Rice Urges Russia to Extradite Suspect in Spy-Poisoning Case (more)
Bulgaria's spy chief says foreign agencies helped free medics (more)
...and just for nostalgia and fun...
Get clued in to these spy legends (more)
In Fly Spy News...
Robotic Bird Designed to Spy on Humans (more)
Flying robots spy for government (more)
Iran's Spying Squirrels (more)
India to Launch Israeli SAR Spy Satellite (more)
India to buy more Russian spy planes (more)
New-age Ball spy satellite tests A-OK (1-2 foot resolution) (more)
Cheesed-off spooks give up on duff spy-sat (more)
In Workplace Spy News...
Your boss is spying on you right now. What can you do? (more)
Email told assistant to spy, says manager (more)
Spying in the Workplace: Big Money? (more)
Find Out If Your Printer Is Spying on You (more)
In Tanning Salon Spy news...
US - Man accused of spying inside tanning booth (more)
UK - Peeping Tom crashes through ceiling while spying (more)
In Spy Shop News...
Best Find: Spy Shops (more)
17 Cameras Roll as Thieves Break Into Spy Store (more)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
SpyCam Story #375 - The Three Alarm'er
Couple awarded more than $250,000 because landlord bugged their apartment.
NY - Their 700-square-foot apartment had a large living room, a big kitchen, nice-sized bathroom and bedroom. Perfect for the young newlyweds. The couple from Oneida was thrilled to be able to rent the space before their wedding in the fall of 2002. They were even happier that they knew the owner of 542 Seneca St., Patrick Kaiser.
Kaiser owned a local electrical business and was also a lieutenant in the Oneida City Fire Department.
When they moved from the apartment on Seneca Street into their new home in October 2003, they hired Kaiser to do electrical work. He was someone the newlyweds were sure they could trust. They were wrong.
For more than a year, Kaiser was watching and recording their every move, including their private conversations and most intimate moments. Using several cameras that were placed strategically throughout the apartment, including the living room, one hidden in a bedroom alarm clock and another behind a bathroom sink, Kaiser was able to record every detail of their lives.
(more) (more)
NY - Their 700-square-foot apartment had a large living room, a big kitchen, nice-sized bathroom and bedroom. Perfect for the young newlyweds. The couple from Oneida was thrilled to be able to rent the space before their wedding in the fall of 2002. They were even happier that they knew the owner of 542 Seneca St., Patrick Kaiser.
Kaiser owned a local electrical business and was also a lieutenant in the Oneida City Fire Department.
When they moved from the apartment on Seneca Street into their new home in October 2003, they hired Kaiser to do electrical work. He was someone the newlyweds were sure they could trust. They were wrong.
For more than a year, Kaiser was watching and recording their every move, including their private conversations and most intimate moments. Using several cameras that were placed strategically throughout the apartment, including the living room, one hidden in a bedroom alarm clock and another behind a bathroom sink, Kaiser was able to record every detail of their lives.
(more) (more)
Fraud boss wants phone taps used to convict insider dealers
Britian’s top fraud investigator wants more phone tapping and other forms of “directed surveillance” to combat insider dealing and share-ramping.
Robert Wardle, director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said there was a strong case for allowing phone-intercept evidence to be admitted in court so that “real” crimes such as insider dealing could be more easily prosecuted.
The SFO boss warned that unless measures were taken, the reputation of London as one of the world’s leading financial centres could be undermined. (more)
Robert Wardle, director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said there was a strong case for allowing phone-intercept evidence to be admitted in court so that “real” crimes such as insider dealing could be more easily prosecuted.
The SFO boss warned that unless measures were taken, the reputation of London as one of the world’s leading financial centres could be undermined. (more)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Razzberries
The world's most populous country will get an opportunity to join the international craze for BlackBerry handsets following approval for Research in Motion to sell its communication devices in China.
The Chinese government has been slow to endorse the BlackBerry in part because of security issues. Some reports have suggested that the regime was concerned that the device's encryption technology would prevent state agents from eavesdropping on suspicious communications.
The BlackBerry will face a local rival, China's second largest mobile phone operator China Unicom markets a mobile email device cheekily called the RedBerry. (more)
The Chinese government has been slow to endorse the BlackBerry in part because of security issues. Some reports have suggested that the regime was concerned that the device's encryption technology would prevent state agents from eavesdropping on suspicious communications.
The BlackBerry will face a local rival, China's second largest mobile phone operator China Unicom markets a mobile email device cheekily called the RedBerry. (more)
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Is Your Printer Spying on You? Good!
Privacy advocates are enraged that many printer manufacturers have cooperated with the Secret Service by adding identifying marks to every page that exits their printers.
The MIT Media Lab has even set up a special web site that explains the process and encourages people to complain to the printer manufacturers.
"This is a direct attack on the privacy of the owners and users of printers, and in particular, on their right to free, anonymous speech." MIT Media Lab
Good point. I'm all for privacy, but stop and think. There is an upside to this; especially for my commercial and government clients. People who want to keep their information private and secure now have one more brick in the security wall. Exclusively employing these printers makes it just a little more difficult for insiders to engage in espionage and information theft.
Stolen intellectual property (via printing or photocopying) can now be tracked and prosecuted more easily.
Persons who want to counterfeit, or publish anonymously, still have other means to accomplish their goals. ~Kevin
The MIT Media Lab has even set up a special web site that explains the process and encourages people to complain to the printer manufacturers.
"This is a direct attack on the privacy of the owners and users of printers, and in particular, on their right to free, anonymous speech." MIT Media Lab
Good point. I'm all for privacy, but stop and think. There is an upside to this; especially for my commercial and government clients. People who want to keep their information private and secure now have one more brick in the security wall. Exclusively employing these printers makes it just a little more difficult for insiders to engage in espionage and information theft.
Stolen intellectual property (via printing or photocopying) can now be tracked and prosecuted more easily.
Persons who want to counterfeit, or publish anonymously, still have other means to accomplish their goals. ~Kevin
Uncle Sam Wants You...r Hearing Aid
Audio ExploitationSolicitation Number: Reference-Number-BAA-07-05-IFKA
Posted Date: Jul 11, 2007
Classification Code: A -- Research & Development
"The scope of this effort covers a broad range of audio and speech processing technologies not limited to: speaker identification, language/ dialect identification, obtaining the gist of a conversation by recognition of words and phrases, uncooperative speaker audio language translation, whispered speech detection, audio transmission segmentation in continuous speech, background noise identification, channel effect mitigation, usable speech determination, interference (noise and competing talkers) reduction, voice stress analysis, speaker verification, coding to preserve the characteristics of the talker and channel, watermarking, and correlation." (more)
Insight - Privacy Mores Differ Internationally
(Direct quotes from the manufacturer follow.)"Fun New Spy Device From China"
"Chinavasion brings you this fully functional Novelty Tire clock with a hidden surprise. Cleverly hidden inside is a small wireless CMOS camera which can be switch on or off at a touch of the supplied remote Just imagine the fun that can be had
Chinavasion presents yet another incredible gadget; a 2.4GHz hidden spy camera in a nifty looking racing tyre and 2.4GHz Receiver /MP4 player in one. This is definitely a product that can be used for just about any purpose you can think of, without anyone ever being the wiser. Better yet, with the included remote, you can switch the spy camera on and off without anyone even seeing you turn it on. A great gadget that is perfect for anyone." (more)
Here come the SnitchBots
"Wakamaru" recognizes approximately 10,000 words necessary for daily life, recognizes its owner and his family and speaks to them on appropriate topics. Needless to say, "wakamaru" will respond to you also based on information he gets from your daily life." (more)
Friday, July 13, 2007
SpyCam Story #368
Chicago, IL - Channel 2 is despicable and slimy for shooting and/or obtaining, and then airing the covert video of the Stebic pool party. It's getting to the point where the National Enquirer may have more journalistic ethics than some of our local media -- and that's not saying much. ~Martin J. Jacobs
(more)
The story that precipitated this remark is fascinating. (more)
(more)
The story that precipitated this remark is fascinating. (more)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
SpyCam Story #367
UK - A man from Woodford Halse has appeared in court accused of setting up covert video cameras in his toilet so he could film children who visited his home.
Alan Kench, of South Street, was arrested in December 2006 and appeared before Daventry Magistrates on Tuesday. (more)
Alan Kench, of South Street, was arrested in December 2006 and appeared before Daventry Magistrates on Tuesday. (more)
Why India Doesn't Need TSCM Technicians
India - Sushma Swaraj, leading the opposition presidential election campaign for vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, says her telephone is being tapped.
She said that whenever anyone called up her phone number, 9868181920, 'the reply comes 'this number does not exist'. I am not being able to call up from my phone. When I called up my residential landline it was being connected to the Police Control Room.'
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ahluwalia, backed her up, saying, 'I have been handling mobile phones since their inception and can make out when they are being tapped or when there is some normal fault in the line and I can tell you this is clearly a case of tapping.' (more)
She said that whenever anyone called up her phone number, 9868181920, 'the reply comes 'this number does not exist'. I am not being able to call up from my phone. When I called up my residential landline it was being connected to the Police Control Room.'
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ahluwalia, backed her up, saying, 'I have been handling mobile phones since their inception and can make out when they are being tapped or when there is some normal fault in the line and I can tell you this is clearly a case of tapping.' (more)
"Twice on the pipe if the answer is no..."
AR - A former sheriff's deputy who bugged his upstairs neighbor's apartment pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and will serve one day in jail.
The listening device was discovered April 1 when the neighbor felt something under the carpet and found a microphone. Authorities found four holes in the ceiling of the deputy's apartment below. David Paul, 35, was fired by Baxter County that night. (more)
The listening device was discovered April 1 when the neighbor felt something under the carpet and found a microphone. Authorities found four holes in the ceiling of the deputy's apartment below. David Paul, 35, was fired by Baxter County that night. (more)
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