Apr 30th, 2009
Posted by Samuel Milgrom, Washington Legislative Office at 5:01pm	Technology and Liberty

Mass Con-Fusion

You mean to tell me that it is legal for corporations from the private sector to team up with local law enforcement officials in efforts to spy on innocent members of our society? You also mean to tell me that the synthesis of law enforcement authority and the drive of for-profit companies operate under little to no guidelines or restrictions and it is unclear to whom they are responsible to?

Welcome to the world of fusion centers, where according to an article by Eric Schmitt of The New York Times, Surveillance Effort Draws Civil Liberties Concern:

A growing number of big-city police departments and other law enforcement agencies across the country are embracing a new system to report suspicious activities that officials say could uncover terrorism plots…

…Officers are filling out terror tips sheets if they run across activities in their routines that seem out of place, like someone buying police or firefighter uniforms, taking pictures of a power plant or espousing extremist views.

Really, taking pictures of power plants? Espousing extremist views? These actions are worthy of being written up in a daily intelligence briefing on terrorism? I never knew taking pictures of power plants was illegal or could be suspicious enough to be considered a potential terrorist threat. And last time I checked the First Amendment was still intact and protected the freedom to voice your own views.

 

The ACLU has long-warned about the dangers of fusion centers and even wrote a report in 2007 (which we updated last year).

The absence of standards governing data collection — how data is collected, what data is collected, who data is collected from, who the fusion centers share information with, what they do with that information in the meantime, and ultimately who is responsible for overseeing the data collection — is incredibly problematic.

Of course law enforcement agencies should share lawfully gathered criminal intelligence, and it is a good idea for those agencies to be on the same page moving forward in order to continue to keep our country safe. But to operate these surveillance centers without guidelines and standards is negligent at best, if not an assault on innocent citizens’ rights to privacy, free speech and freedom of assembly.

Just like anything else, throwing money at a problem and asking as few questions as possible simply will not work. And worse, not providing any guidelines or not holding programs accountable for their actions has led to illegal invasion of privacy and abuse of power, time after time.

Even more problematic is the chilling effect generated as a result of more frequent investigations and apprehensions of innocent individuals and groups falsely accused of engaging in suspicious and potentially terrorist activity.

That scenario is more unpatriotic and poses as large a threat to the underpinnings of our society than any of the activities the fusion centers have reported and investigated.

In order for our basic liberties to be restored, the confusion surrounding what is being collected and with whom that information is shared and what is done with it needs to be cleared up. Straightforward guidelines and standards allow for ethical and effective police work and reduce the chance that civil liberties will be violated. Let us hope we will see the establishment of such guidelines and standards soon.

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1. Rose Fox Says:
   Apr 30th, 2009 at 4:05pm

   Rather than waiting and hoping, could the ACLU work up some suggested guidelines and present them to the government and law enforcement officials responsible for oversight of these data centers?

2. Vic Livingston Says:
   Apr 30th, 2009 at 9:20pm

   DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY OPERATIVES: MAKE SURE THIS ONE GETS TO SECRETARY NAPOLITANO -- IN FULL, NOT AS PART OF A BRIEFING MEMO.

   • And please "cc" Atty. Gen. Eric Holder and PA Governor Ed Rendell

   he telecommunications of this "targeted" journalist and "community stalking" victim continue to be intercepted, not "just" subject to surveillance, apparently by the Homeland Security-administered "fusion center" in Newtown, PA.

   Today I booted up the iMac using the "V-N PRAM" mode (because the computer started to behave irratically). Even though the computer was NOT connected to my DSL modem, I got a black screen with white letters and streaming data, with the words, "Security Auditing Service Present. (c) 1993 The Regents of the University of California."

   The datastream appeared to show that the hard drive was being scanned.

   I know I've been subject to surveillance, probably warrantless, for at least the past five years, and I know that my computing has been "hijacked" even when the computer was not connected to the internet.

   Now, after five years, I find a hidden program that reveals (upon "V-N PRAM") a readout showing the illicit surveillance.

   I really thought they were more clever than this. What a crime against the Constitution, and a violation of my constitutional rights. How many other millions are simiarly affected.

   Will others reading this please boot up your Mac with the "V-N PRAM" (hold down V and N keys while holding down the OPTION and APPLE keys) and see if YOU get the "Security Auditing Service Present" message.

   Then, let's again urge the ACLU to new file a NEW class action suit against these unconstitutional programs THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY -- UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

   (My personal analysis is that there is gross insubordination in the ranks, and that Team Obama has not dealt forcefully with potentially treasonous actions by the bureaucracy.)

   The government apparently is using surveillance programs as a pretext for harassment and CONTROL over individual telecommunications. The ACLU has not pursued this angle of attack.

   Authoritarians will continue to attempt whatever they can get away with -- which is why the functions of my computer usually continue to slow down when I write something that might be considered opinionated or not in conformance to the tastes of the fusion center authoritarians.

   Please read this:

   http://nowpublic.com/world/govt-fusion-center-spying-pret ext-harass-and-censor

   http://NowPublic.com/scrivener

3. Vic Livingston Says:
   Apr 30th, 2009 at 9:28pm

   (ACLU moderator: Please use this version. Thank you.)

   DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY OPERATIVES: MAKE SURE THIS ONE GETS TO SECRETARY NAPOLITANO -- IN FULL, NOT AS PART OF A BRIEFING MEMO.

   • And please "cc" Atty. Gen. Eric Holder and PA Governor Ed Rendell

   The telecommunications of this "targeted" journalist and "community gang stalking" victim continue to be intercepted, not "just" subject to surveillance, apparently by the Homeland Security-administered "fusion center" in Newtown, PA.

   Today I booted up the iMac using the "V-N PRAM" mode (because the computer started to behave erratically). Even though the computer was NOT connected to my DSL modem, I got a black screen with white letters and streaming data, with the words, "Security Auditing Service Present. (c) 1993 The Regents of the University of California."

   The data stream appeared to show that the hard drive was being scanned.

   I know I've been subject to surveillance, in all probability warrantless, for at least the past five years, and I know that my computing has been "hijacked" even when the computer was not connected to the internet.

   Now, after five years, I find a hidden program that reveals (upon "V-N PRAM") a readout showing the illicit surveillance.

   I really thought they were more clever than this. What a crime against the Constitution, and a violation of my constitutional rights. How many other millions are similarly affected.

   Will others reading this please boot up your Mac with the "V-N PRAM" (hold down V and N keys while holding down the OPTION and APPLE keys) and see if YOU get the "Security Auditing Service Present" message.

   Then, let's again urge the ACLU to new file a NEW class action suit against these unconstitutional programs THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY -- UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

   (My personal analysis is that there is gross insubordination in the ranks of DHS, and that Team Obama has not dealt forcefully enough with this apparent bureaucratic rebellion.)

   The government apparently is using surveillance programs as a pretext for harassment and CONTROL over individual telecommunications. The ACLU has not pursued this angle of attack.

   Authoritarians will continue to attempt whatever they can get away with -- which is why the functions of my computer usually continue to slow down when I write something that might be considered opinionated or not in conformance to the tastes of the fusion center authoritarians.

   Please read this:

   http://nowpublic.com/world/govt-fusion-center-spying-pret ext-harass-and-censor

   http://NowPublic.com/scrivener

4. Vic Livingston Says:
   May 1st, 2009 at 9:25am

   The comment that I posted here last night is now missing -- according to my computer connection, whose functions appear to be "hijacked" by remote computing software and real-time monitoring by fusion center operatives at the Newtown, PA facility.

   I believe this is another example of persistent and invasive harassment, malicious tampering and prior restraint and/or censorship of my telecommunications. Undoubtedly, millions of other citizens are similarly afflicted.

   Please, ACLU: Sue the government on grounds that the government's various surveillance programs are a pretext to harass and censor the telecommunications of U.S. citizens, in violation of the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constititution -- and a "color of law" violation that constitutes misuse and abuse of power by security, law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

   http://nowpublic.com/world/govt-fusion-center-spying- pretext-harass-and-censor

   OR (if links are corrupted / disabled):

   http://NowPublic.com/scrivener

5. Vic Livingston Says:
   May 1st, 2009 at 9:30am

   As the above posts appear to demonstrate, my internet connection appears to be maliciously manipulated and tampered with.

   This is not "surveillance" -- it is the misuse of telecommunications as a control and harassment mechanism by undemocratic elements within the U.S. government which are being allowed to violate the rights of U.S. citizens in a wholesale and wanton manner.

   When will the Obama administration and Congress wake up to the apparent fact that an Orwellian cabal that resides among security, military and intelligence agencies has effectively seized control over the telecommunications system, denying U.S. citizens their constitutional rights?

   This is the face of fascism, and the Obama administation and the ACLU confront and disarm this clear and present danger to what's left of democracy in America.

6. Vic Livingston Says:
   May 1st, 2009 at 11:16am

   The following commentary has just elicited the "held for blog owner" message upon an attempt to post to The Washington Post's "The Fix" political blog -- despite the fact that Wa-Po does NOT "hold" posts unless foul language is detected.

   Since the content is relevant to the above ACLU blog entry, I shall attempt to post the commentary here:

   WHILE THE MEDIA FOCUSES ON THE 'MACRO'...

   DEMOCRACY CONTINUES TO BE STOLEN AT THE GRASSROOTS.

   WHEN WILL TEAM OBAMA TAKE DOWN THE BUSH-CHENEY ERA 'EXTRAJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT MAXTRIX'?

   TO: President Obama, White House staff (c/o Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, Jay Carney); ACLU staff/members

   Mr. President, and to the ACLU:

   We as a nation must first restore civil and human rights in America and demand that government bureaucrats and power-brokers uphold the Constitution before any policy reforms and goals can be achieved.

   You must immediately join with GOP defenders of the Constitution to dismantle the nationwide extrajudicial punishment network...

   ...authoritarian bureaucrats and security/intel officers and their nationwide network of "organized community gang stalkers" -- citizen vigilantes fronted by federally-funded volunteer programs who use illicitly planted GPS devices to track, harass, and even torture innocent but "targeted" individuals.

   This nationwide, Gestapo-like operation has made a mockery of the judicial system for the past eight years and has claimed many unjustly "targeted" victims from all strata of society.

   Crimes against humanity are being committed across the nation via the use of so-called "directed energy (microwave radiation) weapons" which the Bush D.O.J. confirmed are being widely deployed to law enforcement agencies nationwide.

   These stealth weapons emit silent, pulsed bursts of various forms of radiation -- degrading and damaging the health of those on the receiving end, as well as their operators.

   This weaponry has NO PLACE in civilized society -- much less in the hands of security personnel who interact with the public, or with the nation's leaders. The widespread deployment of this weaponry virtually assures its misuse.

   Imagine if rogue actors tried to use its silent, deadly force to induce illness or to disorient, prematurely age, sicken or disable our political leaders.

   Perhaps they already have.

   Victims of this extrajudicial punishment network also see their finances and livelihoods expropriated and destroyed by secretive "multi-agency coordinated action" "programs of personal destruction" that deny them due process of law while degrading their lives and destroying their family finances.

   While your team concentrates on "macro-economics," the IRS continues to be used as an ideological weapon of social control and recrimination by these covert "multi-agency actions."

   Obama administration officials must address these abuses IMMEDIATELY, before these affronts to the Constitution destroy more American families -- and subvert the Obama presidency.

   A necessary first step: A thorough house-cleaning at secretive security and intel agencies closest to government (and extra-government) power.

   http://nowpublic.com/world/gestapo-usa-govt-funded-vigil ante-network-terrorizes-america
   http://nowpublic.com/world/domestic-torture-radiation-weaponry-amer icas-horrific-shame
   http://nowpublic.com/world/targeting-u-s-citizens-govt-agencies-roo t-cause-wall-street-financial-crisis

   OR (if links are corrupted):

   http://My.NowPublic.com/scrivener

7. Steve Says:
   May 1st, 2009 at 1:07pm

   why would they be taking pictures of power plants in the first place? As one who works with children we are instructed to report any suspicious activity {taking photos of schools, following school buses, ect.}. It may be nothing, but it could be everything! It makes me wonder who's safety and freedom you are more concerned with, Hamas must love you folks on the far-left.

8. wild Says:
   May 1st, 2009 at 11:00pm

   Where have you been Milgrom? This here is the United States....where there is a demon under every rock. So ya didn't know it was against the law/suspecious to photograph 'plant facilities', well maybe you could check out the 'homeland security hiway watch program' for more about such activities. This program is now 'required' for truckdriving employees and many transp. companys.

   wild;)

   ps... its not too bad a deal, cuZ last time I saw an mercinary army enroute, and I called 911 about it....hahaha well lets just say ...the 911 guys at the local cop shop 'couldn't handle it'...........so yeah after the twin towers thing, why should we as public citizens just 'not do anything'....yeah its suspicious behaviour that is legally noteable, its the 'racial profiling' that is wrong.

9. Richard Says:
   May 2nd, 2009 at 10:19am

   Global Corporations have infected and control our government!
   "The right to petition the government is the freedom of individuals to petition their government for a correction or repair of some form of injustice without fear of punishment for the same." - from wikipedia.

   It has become increasingly obvious that some private corporate interests and the financial "masters of the universe" have had far too much influence on our government, and have brought our great economy down to it's knees. While we are losing jobs, homes, health, liberties and freedoms, it is appropriate to resolve the controversy over "corporate personhood".

   Corporate personhood began in our courts during the 1800s, it was never really defined in the constitution. The courts extended the rights of the individual to legal entities called corporations.
   Per wikipedia, "Since the mid-1800s, corporate personhood has become increasingly controversial, as courts have extended other rights to the corporation beyond those necessary to ensure their liability for debts."

   Today, the individuals of America have to compete with powerful global corporate lobbies and influences when we petition our government to represent our interests.
   To further aggravate the problem, the corporations have gone global, with far flung interests all over the world. They do not necessarily represent America's best interests. In fact, American workers are at a disadvantage to global outsourcing.

   I think it is time to take back our individual rights, and abolish the current court mandated concept of corporate personhood. We should be a country of and by the PEOPLE - as our constitution defines it.

10. Vic Livingston Says:
    May 3rd, 2009 at 10:42am

    My previous comment here is missing from my browser when I access this page.

    Are government fusion center censors tampering with content of political blogs in America, and/or manipulating the data streams of so-called "targeted persons" by using real-time remote computing software and "spoofed pages" technology?

    My experience indicates that the answer is in the affirmative.

    Please read this article, which is linked to a thread here at ACLU:

    http://nowpublic.com/world/govt-fusion-center-spying-pret ext-harass-and-censor

    OR

    http://NowPublic.com/scrivener< /p>

11. Vic Livingston Says:
    May 4th, 2009 at 2:52pm

    MORE MALICIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PERSONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS

    • A seemingly purposeful campaign of political censorship and harassment apparently conducted by regional "fusion centers" administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

    All weekend, my browser crashed nearly every time I tried to access a political site.

    I was effectively barred from posting commentary to these sites.

    On Monday morning, I called the Verizon DSL internet service number and spoke to someone who represented themselves as a customer service representative. I told him what was happening, and that I believed the interference with my computing was being done as part of a purposeful and malicious harassment campaign conducted by the local Homeland Security-administered "fusion center."

    Within the hour, I was again able to access and post to political sites.

    But each time I tried to play web site video on my computer, notably, from CNN or Hulu, I was unable to do so. The computer began to behave erratically, or the taskbar simply read "done," and nothing happened. All the video and music functions on my connection appear to be disabled or sabotaged.

    I believe this is a continuation of the malicious harassment and tampering that I have experienced over the past five years -- what appears to be the use of the telecommunications surveillance programs as a means to harass, psychologically "punish" and censor individuals who may have been unjustly and wrongfully "targeted" by certain government agencies who oversee and administer an "extrajudicial punishment network." This malicious interference appears to be done in real-time, using remote computing and connection mirroring software and the insertion of so-called "spoofed" (fake) pages into the data stream.

    The Bush-Cheney era extra-legal apparatus is continuing under the Obama administration. I believe many of its officials are naive and trusting and actually believe that the bureaucracy respects authority and the chain of command, when much evidence seems to be to the contrary.

    There can be no "politics," no democracy, if there is government disrespect for freedom of speech, or for the freedom to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures (in this case, of telecommunications).

    Please read this journalist's ongoing account of blatant censorship and malicious interference at:

    http://blog.aclu.org/2009/01/26/internet-filters-voluntary- ok-not-government-mandate

    OR

    http://nowpublic.com/world/ govt-fusion-center-spying-pretext-harass-and-censor
    http://nowpublic.com/world/gestapo-usa-govt-funded-vigilante-networ k-terrorizes-america
    http://NowPublic.com/scrivener

    If this can happen to a mainstream journalist such as I, it can happen to anyone -- and no doubt, millions of other Americans are being victimized by a police-state mentality that is enabled by the naivete of centrists and liberal-progressives who think "it can't happen here."

12. gangstalking Says:
    May 10th, 2009 at 12:44am

    Covert action quarterly actually reported this back in 1997. 12 years ago, and this is what they reported.

    "Ruling the community with an iron fist. “Savvy law enforcement types realized that under the community policing rubric, cops, community groups, local companies, private foundations, citizen informants and federal agencies could form alliances without causing public outcry.” Covert Action Quarterly, summer 1997.”

    http://www.albionmonitor.com/9711b/policing.html

    < p>This has been going on much longer than this however. The citizens caught up in these surveillance opperations that go on for years, simply want to know who they can report to, who can they go to for help, when most lawyers refuse to take the case, or even deny that this is happening. Fusion Centers are new, but this practice is not.

    http://gangstalkingworld.com/Forum/YaBB.pl?num=1241931022/ 0

13. anonymous Says:
    May 19th, 2009 at 1:34pm

    In reference to Comment #12:

    Something must be done about the targeting of innocent citizens. The surveillance alone is enough to psychologically cripple a victim, but the practices that are currently in place go way beyond surveillance, in some cases. Personal property is frequently vandalized and homes/cars are entered surreptitiously. Property theft is not uncommon. I implore the ACLU to help.

14. Gang Stalking Victim Says:
    May 21st, 2009 at 2:01pm

    Please stop the gang stalking it's killing people from the inside out!

15. anonymous Says:
    May 26th, 2009 at 1:47pm

    Rumor has it that the ACLU isn't going to help victims of OS or "gang stalking." The ACLU's apparent position is that "OS is a criminal matter and therefore it's not something that they would involve themselves in." (This is not a direct quote by an ACLU representative - I'm passing it along as it was repeated to me.)

    What a cruel twist that the ACLU can't (or won't) help. While it's true that crimes are being commited, victims of "organized / community-based stalking" know that the police won't help. So what is one to do? This form of stalking could happen to anyone, it would seem, and appears to be on the rise. If, in fact, our government is involved, why wouldn't the ACLU step up to help the victims of these abuses? Are these operations COINTELPRO? Have these programs reared their ugly heads? Is community-based harassment some sort of experiment in "slow torture?" Do we have groups akin to "Red Squads" operating all across this great country? Someone needs to figure out what's happening and try to stop what's going on "in plain sight", but invisible to many.

    As long as these stalking groups are allowed to operate in the U.S., no American is truly free. The rule of law is dead in America and the Constitution is meaningless. And what was that about "liberty and justice for all?" Let's change it to reflect the truth -- it should be "liberty and justice" for some.

16. seek-psychiatric-help Says:
    May 31st, 2009 at 3:15am

    get help people

17. anon Says:
    Jun 1st, 2009 at 2:35pm

    It's good to know that censorship is alive and well. And to #15, if it were only that easy!

18. anon Says:
    Jun 1st, 2009 at 3:18pm

    To "seek-psychiatric-help:

    What better way to marginalize and discredit people than to commit crimes, leave no evidence, and then declare the complainants "mentally ill" when they file police reports! It's working beautifully and so it continues...

19. anonymous Says:
    Jun 11th, 2009 at 10:37am

    Hopefully “the truth will out”, as it’s been said. Many people reportedly labeled Martha Mitchell as “delusional” when she complained about widespread corruption in the White House, during the Nixon years.
    We would all do well to keep in mind that “the truth really is stranger than fiction.”

    "Whistleblowers" where are you?

20. victim Says:
    Jul 17th, 2009 at 7:21am

    I have been a victim of community based harassment for over two years now. I have endured constant monitoring and invasion of privacy. I do not have the privacy of my own home any more. I'm under satellite surveillance 24/7. The technology of voice in skull and directed silent sound is used to harass me everyday. Even as I'm writing this I'm being watched and see beams across my screen. I live in NYC and the Media knows about this "mobbing" they even quote phrases that I use in conversations. When I watch T.V. it is either voiced over, or if its live they hint to what is happening. If anything I wish to shed light on the topic of community based harassment and technological harassment and surveillance. I hope to find out which laws are been used violated to constantly monitor me. I have a website that I have made to share my experience. http://www.technologyharssment.com/

21. Forensic expert Says:
    Aug 22nd, 2009 at 4:50pm

    If post #20 from "victim" were legit, he'd call it "torture" not "harassment," the chosen word of the tormentors, because it's a misdemeanor and not a felony. The purpose of the post, and probably, his web site, is to marginalize victims and make them appear delusional. It is despicable. These are war crimes. Where is the outrage?

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