Maybe the Most Orwellian Text Message a Government's Ever Sent

“Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance.”

That's a text message that thousands of Ukrainian protesters spontaneously received on their cell phones today, as a new law prohibiting public demonstrations went into effect. It was the regime's police force, sending protesters the perfectly dystopian text message to accompany the newly minted, perfectly dystopian legislation. In fact, it's downright Orwellian (and I hate that adjective, and only use it when absolutely necessary, I swear). But that's what this is: it's technology employed to detect noncompliance, to hone in on dissent. The NY Times reports that the "Ukrainian government used telephone technology to pinpoint the locations of cell phones in use near clashes between riot police officers and protesters early on Tuesday." Near. Using a cell phone near a clash lands you on the regime's hit list.

Link to Story on Vice

Holy smokes! Whoever said the NSA had the Orwellian thing all sewn up never hung out in the Ukraine I guess. This IMO valuable knowledge as it makes perfect sense in that if the Ukrainian Government can do this imagine what the NSA can do!

Unlike the Ukraine I am certain that this type of text would never be sent to protesters here in the USA but I have to think there would be a near overwhelming desire to gather the intel on who protestors are in the USA via the same type of technology.

Note to self: When planning to break the law in any way, shape or form; LEAVE THE CELL PHONE AT HOME!

That's beyond Orwellian... and very scary.

However, my response text:

"Dear sender, you are registered as an idiot who is outnumbered."

S&F

~Namaste

reply to post by Mamatus


For the life of me I cannot understand in this day of phone spying and cheap pay as you go phones why anyone even uses a phone that chained to their real name, etc. Can someone explain that to me? Is it just that people don't care?

At least get an extra throw away. C'mon people.

reply to post by Mamatus


It appears that George Soros's plan to support the uprising is backfiring?

Anytime someone of the like of this criminal is behind a "revolt" BEWARE!!!

reply to post by Mamatus


This.. is.. really.. disturbing.

Wait.

Does that mean that in the near future we will have to endure our fanatic girlfriends texting us every minutes AND the government telling us what to do and not to do, you know, like;

your speed is too high, a police is on the way to give you a ticket.
your last meal lacked proteins because you are vegetarian.
why didn't you watch the last advertising completely?
##SNIPPED##

Sigh, this world.

reply to post by Mamatus


Just wait till the thought police get a hold of the poor sods!

They will be reciting doublespeak by the end of the week!

How much tin foil do you have to wrap your phone in to prevent it from displaying its location?

And as someone who only has the cheapest oldest cell phone on the planet (what I call the 'flat tire' phone) what the hell are all those people in supermarkets talking about on them, anyways? Can't people go for a walk or errand now without yakking?

The government could pay the national debt off by substituting therapists for NSA personnel and charging by the minute.

Just face it,

If you go about your lives as you always have, you are tracked, recorded, analyzed and stamped.

If you're ok with it then don't take any measures to change it...like another poster said, a throw away phone. Simple.

I for one am not ok with it all. But hey...that's just me. Or is it?

Take a few measures and fight back. Or you just let it slide and.....

Too late.

And by the way...I'm a proud Ukrainian right now. Have never visited my Grand Parent's homeland but maybe someday.


Peace

reply to post by Mamatus


Holy high-tech police state control grid, Batman.

Honestly, is the panopticon a thing now? Soon we will be so convinced the jailors are watching we won't even consider dissent as a viable option.

Down with big brother
Down with big brother
Down with...

Kallisti

reply to post by jude11

You should be proud your Countrymen back home are quite brave and I wish them all the best. Some pretty ugly stuff has gone down the last couple of days. Lots of injured, but unlike the USA both young and old are out taking risks to stand for what they believe.

When you compare what is happening in Kiev right now to the Occupy Wall Street movement here in The States? I can't. We sat around in parks around and refused to shower. Your people got on their feet and showered the police with Molotov Cocktails.

That's a real attempt at revolution. I applaud them all.

Sadly, due to what just happened with the cell phones should it not work the Police State in the Ukraine can pick off protesters one at a time when it calms down.

I will hope the best for all of them.

Mamatus
reply to post by jude11

 

You should be proud your Countrymen back home are quite brave and I wish them all the best. Some pretty ugly stuff has gone down the last couple of days. Lots of injured, but unlike the USA both young and old are out taking risks to stand for what they believe.

When you compare what is happening in Kiev right now to the Occupy Wall Street movement here in The States? I can't. We sat around in parks around and refused to shower. Your people got on their feet and showered the police with Molotov Cocktails.

That's a real attempt at revolution. I applaud them all.

Sadly, due to what just happened with the cell phones should it not work the Police State in the Ukraine can pick off protesters one at a time when it calms down.

I will hope the best for all of them.

I am very proud right now.

My Grand father told me stories of his youth and some of it wasn't pretty. I never got to experience my native home but I am watching closely and crossing my fingers.

Peace

"Imagine what the NSA can do..."

Your right about the NSA being able to one up Ukraine. Ever wonder what all that Meta data they keep talking about while scrutinizing the NSA data collection program. Meta data: phone location, text data (sms), voice recordings, pictures, videos, etc. The NSA now admit that they can remotely turn on microphone, and video camera without your knowledge or permission.

Now let's imagine that Ukrainian riot example.... Not only do they know who was there, who those people talk to, what they talk about, where they go, what they research or look up online, what other electronic devises they use or come into contact with, what they do on those other electronic devises, and so on.

Here is an interesting read by wired magazine, about the NSA and General Kieth Alexander more affectionately known as Alexander the Geek. www.wired.com...

reply to post by Mamatus


And more the reason to leave your phone at home. I keep telling people, technology is like a best friend that hates you. You might not be able to live without it, but it'll betray you when asked. If you're going to demonstrate, go low tech.

I'm just waiting for the rest of the Western world to catch up, it's only a matter of time before we start seeing things like this locally.

St0rD
reply to post by Mamatus

 

put your dick out of this poor goat.

Sigh, this world.

Actually....I found this more disturbing.

Oh God.... I'm SO thankful they didn't have this ability to use for this sort of thing during Occupy. They'd have scared half our camp clear out of the city, let alone off the protest line. lol....

I can just imagine the text messages the night Michelle and Biden's wife were at the World Series a few blocks away.

"Dear Occupier, where you're standing is a bit obscured by the trees and shadows. Please step a few feet forward, backward, left or right so our sniper team to your 12 o'clock position can better see and scope your head. Thank you for your cooperation!"

Yup...Half the place would have said 'screw it' and gone right over the river into Illinois on a dead run.

Not nice.... Not nice at all!

LightAssassin

St0rD
reply to post by Mamatus

 

put your dick out of this poor goat.

Sigh, this world.

Actually....I found this more disturbing.

it is seemingly more common than you would think.......google iraqi goat f#####....pick the 3rd link ...i would link the vid but something tells me that may just go against t&c's

LightAssassin

St0rD
reply to post by Mamatus

 

put your dick out of this poor goat.

Sigh, this world.

Actually....I found this more disturbing.

In the light of your words, should I be concluding you don't condone my personnal hobbies?

Thought I was on an open minded website...

The reality is that despite your sense of moral obligations or feelings of obligation to more conventional perceptions of evolution. Violence becomes necessary in cases where the vast minority manipulates resources for completely self serving purposes and oppresses the rest of the country for no other reason than greed and gluttony.

It is the responsibility of every sovereign nation to decide their level of acceptance of tyranny. It is up to the people to decide the merit of those who govern them. If you decide a change is needed and it can not be obtained without bloodshed, nobody else can judge besides those that wake up and go to sleep in that nation.

hopenotfeariswhatweneed

LightAssassin

St0rD
reply to post by Mamatus

 

put your dick out of this poor goat.

Sigh, this world.

Actually....I found this more disturbing.

it is seemingly more common than you would think.......google iraqi goat f#####....pick the 3rd link ...i would link the vid but something tells me that may just go against t&c's

There are some things that should be left unseen.

Really.

reply to post by St0rD


I never said you shouldn't do it....just that I found it disturbing.

To each their own....I guess.