E-Rage and E-Security

This past Monday, there was a bombing at the Boston Marathon.  The first thing I would like to do is express my deepest sympathies to those that were injured or the families of those that were lost.

The second thing I would like to do is say to all the conspiracy theorists and racists out there making horrendous comments about it, shut up.  You don't know anything about who did this, just as much as I don't.  Hell, the government doesn't know who did this yet.  You're making claims that are racist and asinine.  These are some of my favorites.

Congratulations Katie...your fear of the Muslim people has reached a peak.

Jayce...if it was North Korea, they would have probably done something a bit larger than this.

Sure Holden, except let me make one change.  How about instead we send all the racist assholes and people who insist on being intolerant dumb fucks to an island and then maybe we could make even larger improvements to the American way.

Oh Mrs. Hunman.  I'm sure that the sexual orientation of individuals with the Boston area is the reason why this happened.  I mean, the Boston Marathon isn't a gay pride thing, and I'm sure the 8-year old boy that died deserved it, but that's besides the point.

When 9/11 happened, we also knew exactly who it was that attacked us.  Obama is doing what he can right now with the information he has.  Also, I'm sure a white boy like you is really a hardcore thug drinking that Chocovine wine.

The point is, why do so many people express their rage via twitter before they know anything definitive?  And why do so many people fear it's necessary to post their racist comments when, as I've said before, once it's on the internet it never leaves.  It's because they obviously aren't thinking.  Think people.  Think.  These were just a few of the ones I liked...there are countless others.

Because of the Boston Bombing, there was another issue that became overshadowed.  Our fantastic government, headed by men and women that know little to nothing about the internet, are attempting to pass another internet security measure that would infringe upon our rights.  Some of the key notes are:

It lets the government spy on you without a warrant.

In other words, the government can simple keep tabs on everything and anything you do on the internet, regardless of your intentions.  So everyone better stop looking at all that porn, looking up how to hack their phones or download anything illegally even for the purposes of education.  Big Brother is watching.

It makes it so you can’t even find out about it after the fact. 

Even if you want to know if the government is watching you, you can't until they've pretty much found out what they want to know.  

It makes it so companies can’t be sued when they do illegal things with your data.

Y'know how so many companies, especially retail, have little cards that you fill out so you can get discounts? Well, this will allow them to pass that info onto anyone.  ANYONE!  They could give it to Westboro Baptist, or Neo-Nazi groups.  They could plaster it on their website, or on other websites.  And they can't be sued.  While this is the extreme case, its still possible.

It allows corporations to cyber-attack each other and individuals outside of the law. 

Another extreme case, but y'know all that music, all those movies, all those programs you downloaded over the years without paying for it?  This would allow companies to basically attack your computer to find it all.

It makes every privacy policy on the web a moot point, and violates the 4th amendment.

Self explanatory.

When we say that your information can be shared with “The Government” it’s not hyperbole. Federal Agencies from the Fish & Wildlife Service to Amtrak to the NSA could access your data. 

Oh good...because I love fishing so much and I never use my car to go anywhere.

The basic idea of it is that net-neutrality, internet privacy, and freedom of knowledge would be at risk.  I'm not saying that everyone that illegally downloads anything is in the right or wrong, there is some truth the matter of having the freedom to use a program for nothing more than learning.  I use programs such as Maya, Photoshop, and Final Cut, all of which I legally own.  However, I use ROMS for certain games, and technically that would be theft.  They are for games that are no longer available from the Genesis and SNES days, and most of the games I play I owned at some point.  So why shouldn't I be allowed to play them for free now?  I already shelled out my money for them years ago.  I touched on this when I wrote my On Console Design post.

This is actually a scary thing.  Bloggers, vloggers, anyone with an opinion out there would be easily targeted for having a voice of any kind.  I've kept my real name on this blog mainly because I have nothing to hide from the government, so if they want to watch me, they can go right ahead.  No skin off my nose.  But I also know my rights.  However, should this pass, I can foresee a downslide of other laws on the horizon, up to and including being able to arrest people for talking smack about anyone in the government, or even so much as making a passing joke.  Freedoms could be lost.

To read more about the CISPA bill, you can go here.  And if you want to know who to contact about this, go here.