Why are #digital opportunities leading to the Orwellian #surveillance state?

It is much cheaper to query a surveillance #database and #arrest all the suspicious #people in it than good old time-consuming #police #investigations. Today's #technology enables almost seamless #monitoring at neuralgic points. In the past, this could only be dreamed of, and the staff alone was not enough to read every letter. Today, an #AI can take over this task and immediately calculate the potential #danger. Of course, bad mistakes happen, but as long as on average more dangerous people are recognized and arrested at an early stage, it is not important for the state. After all, everyone can make use of the possibilities offered by the rule of #law and, in case of doubt, will be released again. Unless, of course, he commits suicide like #AaronSchwartz. Particularly resistant dissidents are tortured to death like #Assange or chased into exile like #Snowden. #Security comes at a price, and it's the security that counts, especially in this uncertain, latent crisis situation. Welcome to the year 1984!

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#society #democracy #justice #privacy #humanrights #politics #government #orwell #problem #future #internet #policestate #jail #prison #terror

SCOTUS limits core anti-hacking law in Van Buren decision

Source: https://www.protocol.com/supreme-court-van-buren

In a narrow interpretation of the law, the #court essentially interpreted the #CFAA as a prohibition on breaking into a #computer system, whether that's as an outside #hacker or as an authorized user breaking into some gated part of that system.

"This provision covers those who obtain information from particular areas in the computer—such as files, folders, or databases—to which their computer access does not extend," the majority opinion reads. "It does not cover those who, like #VanBuren, have improper motives for obtaining information that is otherwise available to them."

Now remember the case of #AaronSchwartz. He downloaded the files with his normal access rights and did not commit any #crime according to the decision above. Nevertheless, he was investigated, which led to his suicide. Unfortunately, this will probably have no #consequences for the #prosecution.

#justice #usa #law #technology #information #news #security #access #police