Email spying and internet tampering
Some readings on digital surveillance at work:
Below are a few personal examples of what I mean by internet and computer tampering:
Recently, I posted a screenshot of my Yahoo! email account not functioning properly.[1] Using Hello.com, I uploaded this file and typed in a brief caption: 'y' for Yahoo. But as the image started to transfer, the letters 'e p' magically appeared, so the caption became 'yep.' (Also, see this post.)
I didn't bother doing a web capture of all this. It's just one of many petty anomalies that have occurred, particularly during the past eight months or so. Also, trying to prove and explain such computer glitches to others is frustratingly difficult, time-consuming, and a sure way to invite rejection and disdain.[2]
The fact is, using both the internet and 'Remote Assistance,' it is possible for someone else to view your computer screen, explore your files, control your mouse and keyboard, and so on. I also heard computers can be accessed, even when they're turned off.
Disabling Remote Assistance on the computer's operating system(eg, Microsoft XP) doesn't seem to do much. I switched this feature off, on both my computer and my mother's computer, yet odd incidents continue to happen. It's like being stalked: so much data can be accessed, and one's entire personality can be closely studied, both through one's computer files and internet surfing habits.
Another recent example of the computer having a mind of its own occurred in early May. I had called Sympatico to find out why internet access at my mother's place is so slow. (My mother's computer also became painfully sluggish in February of this year, yet computer performance shouldn't affect internet speed.) Anyway, this lengthy call turned into a 2-hour probe, as I posed questions to the Sympatico reps, who had been *randomly* assigned to my call. Digital security, growing co-operation between major companies in the computer technology field, and Bell Canada and Sympatico's new corporate direction, were a few of the topics discussed.
After hanging up, I noticed that the date on the computer had suddenly been fast-forwarded to May 31, 2005 (the call took place on May 1, or so, checking date...). Having used the computer for several days, and having checked the date on that very day (as I often do, because I never know what date it is), I know that it was set correctly, up until I made this particular call to Sympatico / Bell. [3]
Security: Learning In The Real World
Many people have questioned, and rightly so, why the government would bother to play such silly games, or waste their precious time and resources on little ol' me. I've often wondered that myself, believe me.
Yet, the fact of the matter is, supposed 'security measures' do not happen in a vaccuum - real-life people and actual scenarios provide intelligence agencies with prime opportunities to fine-tune their social control tactics. I am just one of many useful targets for the powers-that-be.
While this may sound egocentric, I believe that, collectively, I and those whom I often vibe with have proven to be a superb case study for Big Brother. To my great despair, this has facilitated an unprecedented level of privacy invasion, corporate collusion, and totalitarian control on a global scale.
Just remember this: In a wired world, digital conveniences don't only serve their end-users. The single, most far-reaching consumer product that is undoing public power, democracy, privacy rights, and grassroots autonomy is: the cellphone.
(Ironically, I don't even use a cellphone, although I'm considering doing so, as I go techno-crazy with gadgets to help me keep track of everything.)
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[1] Yahoo! is considered one of the most reliable websites on the internet. Yet, I've had repeated anomalies with all of my Yahoo! email accounts, ever since I switched over from Mail.com last year. Difficulties in navigating my Yahoo! account only seem to happen at my place, or my mother's place - never at the library, cybercafes, school, or any other public terminals.
[2] One quirky and frustrating email incident took place on a queer health listserv I used to subscribe to. I wrote an email message to follow-up on my application to volunteer with a certain organization. It was clear from what I wrote that the person had clearly overlooked or ignored my original application and quite some time had passed. After I copied and pasted in the recipient's email address, I hit 'Send,' but somehow, the group list's email address suddenly reappeared, and this message got distributed to the entire listserv, making me look like I was publicly complaining or exposing this person. I suspect that no one on the list believed I had posted this email 'by accident,' since I already had a reputation for being a rabble-rouser. Yet, I definitely did not intend to do so. I ended up unsubscribing from this listserv, shortly thereafter.
Note: I do realize email and internet glitches happen. Yet, I have far more of them than your average computer user. These incidents are well-timed, and they often seem deliberate and strategic. They are also not isolated events: I usually have a host of other weird problems and strange encounters happening around the same time. While it may be convenient to dismiss my suspicions as mere delusions, I think there's more to it.
[3] May 31 is a significant date, for several reasons. I'll be posting more about this shortly.
Link
- 'Is your boss monitoring your e-mail' - MSN News, May 18, 2005
- 'Big boss is watching' - MSN News, Sept. 24, 2004
Below are a few personal examples of what I mean by internet and computer tampering:
Recently, I posted a screenshot of my Yahoo! email account not functioning properly.[1] Using Hello.com, I uploaded this file and typed in a brief caption: 'y' for Yahoo. But as the image started to transfer, the letters 'e p' magically appeared, so the caption became 'yep.' (Also, see this post.)
I didn't bother doing a web capture of all this. It's just one of many petty anomalies that have occurred, particularly during the past eight months or so. Also, trying to prove and explain such computer glitches to others is frustratingly difficult, time-consuming, and a sure way to invite rejection and disdain.[2]
The fact is, using both the internet and 'Remote Assistance,' it is possible for someone else to view your computer screen, explore your files, control your mouse and keyboard, and so on. I also heard computers can be accessed, even when they're turned off.
Disabling Remote Assistance on the computer's operating system(eg, Microsoft XP) doesn't seem to do much. I switched this feature off, on both my computer and my mother's computer, yet odd incidents continue to happen. It's like being stalked: so much data can be accessed, and one's entire personality can be closely studied, both through one's computer files and internet surfing habits.
Another recent example of the computer having a mind of its own occurred in early May. I had called Sympatico to find out why internet access at my mother's place is so slow. (My mother's computer also became painfully sluggish in February of this year, yet computer performance shouldn't affect internet speed.) Anyway, this lengthy call turned into a 2-hour probe, as I posed questions to the Sympatico reps, who had been *randomly* assigned to my call. Digital security, growing co-operation between major companies in the computer technology field, and Bell Canada and Sympatico's new corporate direction, were a few of the topics discussed.
After hanging up, I noticed that the date on the computer had suddenly been fast-forwarded to May 31, 2005 (the call took place on May 1, or so, checking date...). Having used the computer for several days, and having checked the date on that very day (as I often do, because I never know what date it is), I know that it was set correctly, up until I made this particular call to Sympatico / Bell. [3]
Security: Learning In The Real World
Many people have questioned, and rightly so, why the government would bother to play such silly games, or waste their precious time and resources on little ol' me. I've often wondered that myself, believe me.
Yet, the fact of the matter is, supposed 'security measures' do not happen in a vaccuum - real-life people and actual scenarios provide intelligence agencies with prime opportunities to fine-tune their social control tactics. I am just one of many useful targets for the powers-that-be.
While this may sound egocentric, I believe that, collectively, I and those whom I often vibe with have proven to be a superb case study for Big Brother. To my great despair, this has facilitated an unprecedented level of privacy invasion, corporate collusion, and totalitarian control on a global scale.
Just remember this: In a wired world, digital conveniences don't only serve their end-users. The single, most far-reaching consumer product that is undoing public power, democracy, privacy rights, and grassroots autonomy is: the cellphone.
(Ironically, I don't even use a cellphone, although I'm considering doing so, as I go techno-crazy with gadgets to help me keep track of everything.)
-------------
[1] Yahoo! is considered one of the most reliable websites on the internet. Yet, I've had repeated anomalies with all of my Yahoo! email accounts, ever since I switched over from Mail.com last year. Difficulties in navigating my Yahoo! account only seem to happen at my place, or my mother's place - never at the library, cybercafes, school, or any other public terminals.
[2] One quirky and frustrating email incident took place on a queer health listserv I used to subscribe to. I wrote an email message to follow-up on my application to volunteer with a certain organization. It was clear from what I wrote that the person had clearly overlooked or ignored my original application and quite some time had passed. After I copied and pasted in the recipient's email address, I hit 'Send,' but somehow, the group list's email address suddenly reappeared, and this message got distributed to the entire listserv, making me look like I was publicly complaining or exposing this person. I suspect that no one on the list believed I had posted this email 'by accident,' since I already had a reputation for being a rabble-rouser. Yet, I definitely did not intend to do so. I ended up unsubscribing from this listserv, shortly thereafter.
Note: I do realize email and internet glitches happen. Yet, I have far more of them than your average computer user. These incidents are well-timed, and they often seem deliberate and strategic. They are also not isolated events: I usually have a host of other weird problems and strange encounters happening around the same time. While it may be convenient to dismiss my suspicions as mere delusions, I think there's more to it.
[3] May 31 is a significant date, for several reasons. I'll be posting more about this shortly.
posted by outside the box... at
3:37 PM
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