[LUG] surveillance

[Neil Winchurst <barnaby@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have relations in the US. They tell me that everyone there is under 
surveillance all the time (via the internet and CCTV) and that a lot of 
what they think is their private business is anything but. It is not 
just the government, many companies are watching too, mainly to be able 
to offer the sort of items that are aimed directly at what someone 
likes. And how do they know that? By storing information about one's 
buying habits.

It makes me wonder how bad things are over here in the UK. It is not 
just Facebook and Twitter, although they seem to be among the worst 
offenders. We can be tracked all the time via our mobile phones for 
example. Of course this is all in the name of 'security against 
terrorism'. Good excuse!

I don't have a Facebook or Twitter account. Does that make me safer? 
What about emails? Should I use GPG for example? Perhaps there is no 
hope and I should just learn to live with it.

I know that this is a bit off topic, although Linux is supposed to be 
more secure than other OS's. I just hate the idea of strangers knowing 
so much about me. Or am I being paranoid?

Bad Apple, over to you,

Neil

--
The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG
http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list
FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq