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A 3,000-page batch of internal communications from the RCMP obtained by The Tyee provides a window into how the force builds its capabilities to spy on internet users and works to hide its methods from the public.
The emails and documents pertain to the RCMP’s Tactical Internet Operation Support unit based at the national headquarters in Ottawa and its advanced web monitoring program called Project Wide Awake.
The files include an internal RCMP presentation that contradict how the force has characterized Project Wide Awake to Canada’s privacy commissioner and The Tyee in past emails. A slide labels the program’s activities “Social Media Surveillance,” despite the RCMP having denied that description applied.
Communications show one high-level officer blasting the project before leaving the RCMP
Other members were jokingly dismissive of public concerns about privacy violations — a training slide for the project says: “You have zero privacy anyway, get over it.”
The documents reveal the RCMP:
Gained permission to hide sole-source contracts for Project Wide Awake from the public through a “national security exception.”
Discussed “tier three” covert operations involving the use of proxies — intermediary computers located elsewhere — to hide RCMP involvement with spying activities.
Purchased software with an aim to search “Darknet,” which it defined to include “private communications” and those from “political protests.”
Has used a tool to unmask lists of “friends” on Facebook for users that specifically set friends’ information to private on the platform.
Was “wasting resources, wasting time, wasting money” on IT projects, according to the then RCMP chief information officer.
Took the names for Project Wide Awake and other internet surveillance programs from the X-Men comic book series, in which illegal government programs hunt human “mutants.”
McPhail found troubling the documents reflect an RCMP view that any communication on the internet can be assumed fair game for surveillance because it’s already in a public realm. “It’s one thing to understand that an individual will see your passing communication, and quite another thing to assume that everything you’ve ever written will be subjected to an analysis by the state.”
I would kind of expect people to see this and think, "Oh, wow! Maybe I shouldn't post my life online openly and publicly for police to surveil me!" and delete their social media accounts, but we all know that won't happen.
originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
originally posted by: Atsbhct
Here we are 20 years later and he's been scammed by those "Like and comment to win this Tiny House!" scams on Facebook FOUR TIMES!!
Sorry?
originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
originally posted by: Atsbhct
Here we are 20 years later and he's been scammed by those "Like and comment to win this Tiny House!" scams on Facebook FOUR TIMES!!
Sorry?