The level of surveillance and data gathering that we are all subject to has become so ubiquitous that is it almost invisible. We are watched, categorised and tracked on a daily basis in a much more pervasive and invasive way than any of us can really imagine or in fact really want to know about.This in turn plays into the hands of the watchers and allows this 'Surveillance State' to become ever more controlling and pervasive in and of our daily lives.
Lets take as an example, my average working day. I wake up in the morning to the alarm on my smartphone - this has a GPS chip in that allows anyone who wants to to know the location of my phone. I get dressed and check my email and blog sites etc over breakfast - all of these internet visits can and are tracked and saved creating a detailed history of my browsing and activity. I hop into my car - which also has a GPS chip for geolocation and is registered to me through licensing and insure etc. I drive to work and am photographed by CCTV cameras, traffic light cameras and police cameras on my entire 30 minute journey to the office. I have my work Mobile Phone with me at all times, again geolocatable and hackable. I log onto the work IT systems which scan and track and keep logs of all my activity on corporate systems including storing and archiving all emails and keeping internet browser history. I nip out for lunch and use my credit card at an ATM and again at a food store - all tracked and recorded.
I could go on but you get the picture. Although mostly none of this surveillance data is ever looked at again, it can be if anyone really wants to. We live in a 'Surveillance State' where every moment of our lives is tracked and stored by the technologies we use and largely take for granted. Beyond this the 'Surveillance State' holds vast amounts of information about us - our Digital Identities - birth records, address, tax, driving licence, council tax etc etc. Information that can be matched to photographic and digital records of our movements and transactions on The Grid right down to the level of mobile phone conversations and text messages if required.
Which brings me to the title of this blog, the recent UK Census. Conducted by Lockheed Martin the giant global defence contractor, arms dealer and death monger that is as pervasive and ubiquitous as surveillance when it comes to western Governments and Defence organisations.
"Invasive. Intrusive. Unsuitable" Thats what David Cameron, the UK Prime Minister, said of plans for the 2011 UK Census while in opposition, but on gaining power he changed nothing. Did you know that all your personal data collected by this invasive Census will be accessible by the CIA and other US Government agencies by virtue of the 'United States Patriot Act'?
Its going to be collected and processed by the insidious American corporation, Lockheed Martin. Why and to what end? And to top it all the UK government will fine you the princely sum of 1000 pounds for refusing to hand over masses of detailed and intrusive information about yourself to themselves, Lockheed Martin and by extension the US Government.
And yet the vast majority of us quietly accept this and hand over the data without a second thought? Surveillance (by what is called 'Five Eyes' in military and government security clearance circles) really has become so ubiquitous that is it almost invisible. Those 'Five Eyes' are Britain, The United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - in other words the Anglosphere - and any data you hand over in the Census returns is going to be accessible to all five of those English speaking allies who essentially operate one 'shadow government' these days. - Largely controlled and operated by Lockheed Martin
So if you haven't complied already you might want to look at some of the great info and resources on the web around Boycotting the UK Census at No Census Taking Part and at WideShut.co.uk who have a great tagline...
...because your eyes are open but you do not see
Say No To CCTV
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