7 ms·

Via Kim Zetter: > If you're wondering why DEA and US Marshal's Service have been given authority to conduct covert surveillance of protestors, it's likely beca

Via Kim Zetter: > If you're wondering why DEA and US Marshal's Service have been given authority to conduct covert surveillance of protestors, it's likely because they have planes outfitted with Dirtboxes - powerful stingray devices that collect data on phones from the air https://twitter.com/KimZetter/status/1267969704259280896 https://twitter.com/KimZetter/status/1267969704259280896

kevinmchugh 6y ago
This may explain why the DEA, but not why protestors, as opposed to looters
- mkgolden 6y ago
  Maybe it is because protesters are more of a threat to those in power than looters
  - jessaustin 6y ago
    Of course, most of the looters are undercover cops anyway.
    - croissants 6y ago
      Most? I've seen hundreds of people looting in my neighborhood. Most of them aren't even adults, let alone cops.
    - jhloa2 6y ago
      Yeah this just isn't true. I'm sure that there's been some false flag attacks but to say that most of the looters are undercover cops is asinine.
- makomk 6y ago
  Because putting "protestors" in the title fits Buzzfeed's narrative better than "looters"? The stated purpose is to allow the DEA to investigate crimes such as looting, arson etc committed under cover of the protests.
- Kapura 6y ago
  Do you really think the cops see a distinction? If so, I encourage you to watch any of the dozens of videos of cops attacking people that have come out over the past 72 hours. Cop brain is very simple: You wither listen to the cop or you are a criminal. There are no shades of grey, and the US police have demonstrated this across the country this weekend.
- beerandt 6y ago
  Actual text from the authorization memo: "...to enforce federal criminal laws in the wake of protests..." So not protestors, but criminals taking advantage of protests.
- koheripbal 6y ago
  There are several concerning videos of people trying to trigger violence at protests. Here is one list I saw today... https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/gvmhh6/fbi_is_currently_taking_evidence_of_violent/fsqq446/ https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/gvmhh6/fbi_...
  - NoSorryCannot 6y ago
    I find it unusual and upsetting that this comparison gets made so often. On one side, you have the generally disorganized public which naturally includes the opportunistic, the provocative, the desperate. On the other, you have the police and the military, nominally organized with a largely uniform mission and code of conduct. Bad behavior by the government is less excusable and also more threatening.
    - koheripbal 6y ago
      I don't think it's meaningful to try to compare them. Is police brutality worse - ok. It's not relevant to the investigation the FBI is looking into. I also think there may be some suspicions that some violent instigators might be acting at the urging of a foreign government - which is the domain of the FBI. I think it's reasonable to help them in that effort - while also condemning the police for their role. The death of ONE MAN, George Floyd, caused mass outrage. If a foreign directed agent is able to instigate a similar tragedy, I think that's very very important to nail down.
cwkoss 6y ago
I've seen a lot of cessna-style aircraft circling over south seattle at low altitude in the last few days - no visible camera - I bet that's what they're being used for.
- redbeard0x0a 6y ago
  there have been Cessnas flying over Dallas too
mtgx 6y ago
So much for the "slippery slope".
chooseaname 6y ago
This is why we need strong encryption. Our First Amendment is under attack. These days you cannot have a right to peacefully assemble and protest without having strong encryption available to plan.
- barnesto 6y ago
  1A doesn't extend to riots. Peaceable assembly is what it covers. Not burning down gov't buildings, shooting people trying to protect their property, or throwing Molotov cocktails in police cruisers. Peaceable assembly is what the anti-lockdown protesters were all about, but those people are grandma killers, right? Unlike the Antifa thugs that are assaulting women in wheelchairs. The gov't should use all it's resources to put an end to these riots, which are more insurrection than riot. Hence the surveillance drones and planes. Get used to it or stop rioting. And the gov't will go back to their normal surveillance state. So yeah, we still need strong encryption.
  - chooseaname 6y ago
    > Peaceable assembly is what the anti-lockdown protesters were all about, but those people are grandma killers, right? They came with long guns and spat at the police officers. But, okay, sure, that's "Peaceable".
    - 0xffff2 6y ago
      ... yes? How many people did they shoot? AFAIK it was 0, in which case how many guns they brought is irrelevant. Likewise spitting at police officers is pretty peaceable by the standards of the current riots. To be clear, they are total and complete idiots, but unless I've missed something they are peaceful idiots.
- acdha 6y ago
  Encryption is a small part of the problem: you need to deal with mass tracking, coercion, infiltration, and the lack of checks and balances preventing abuse. I want strong E2E encryption as well but it’s just one part of a large problem.

kevinmchugh 6y ago

This may explain why the DEA, but not why protestors, as opposed to looters

mkgolden 6y ago
Maybe it is because protesters are more of a threat to those in power than looters
- jessaustin 6y ago
  Of course, most of the looters are undercover cops anyway.
  - croissants 6y ago
    Most? I've seen hundreds of people looting in my neighborhood. Most of them aren't even adults, let alone cops.
  - jhloa2 6y ago
    Yeah this just isn't true. I'm sure that there's been some false flag attacks but to say that most of the looters are undercover cops is asinine.
makomk 6y ago
Because putting "protestors" in the title fits Buzzfeed's narrative better than "looters"? The stated purpose is to allow the DEA to investigate crimes such as looting, arson etc committed under cover of the protests.
Kapura 6y ago
Do you really think the cops see a distinction? If so, I encourage you to watch any of the dozens of videos of cops attacking people that have come out over the past 72 hours. Cop brain is very simple: You wither listen to the cop or you are a criminal. There are no shades of grey, and the US police have demonstrated this across the country this weekend.
beerandt 6y ago
Actual text from the authorization memo: "...to enforce federal criminal laws in the wake of protests..." So not protestors, but criminals taking advantage of protests.
koheripbal 6y ago
There are several concerning videos of people trying to trigger violence at protests. Here is one list I saw today... https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/gvmhh6/fbi_is_currently_taking_evidence_of_violent/fsqq446/ https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/gvmhh6/fbi_...
- NoSorryCannot 6y ago
  I find it unusual and upsetting that this comparison gets made so often. On one side, you have the generally disorganized public which naturally includes the opportunistic, the provocative, the desperate. On the other, you have the police and the military, nominally organized with a largely uniform mission and code of conduct. Bad behavior by the government is less excusable and also more threatening.
  - koheripbal 6y ago
    I don't think it's meaningful to try to compare them. Is police brutality worse - ok. It's not relevant to the investigation the FBI is looking into. I also think there may be some suspicions that some violent instigators might be acting at the urging of a foreign government - which is the domain of the FBI. I think it's reasonable to help them in that effort - while also condemning the police for their role. The death of ONE MAN, George Floyd, caused mass outrage. If a foreign directed agent is able to instigate a similar tragedy, I think that's very very important to nail down.

cwkoss 6y ago

I've seen a lot of cessna-style aircraft circling over south seattle at low altitude in the last few days - no visible camera - I bet that's what they're being used for.

redbeard0x0a 6y ago
there have been Cessnas flying over Dallas too

mtgx 6y ago

So much for the "slippery slope".

chooseaname 6y ago

This is why we need strong encryption. Our First Amendment is under attack. These days you cannot have a right to peacefully assemble and protest without having strong encryption available to plan.

barnesto 6y ago
1A doesn't extend to riots. Peaceable assembly is what it covers. Not burning down gov't buildings, shooting people trying to protect their property, or throwing Molotov cocktails in police cruisers. Peaceable assembly is what the anti-lockdown protesters were all about, but those people are grandma killers, right? Unlike the Antifa thugs that are assaulting women in wheelchairs. The gov't should use all it's resources to put an end to these riots, which are more insurrection than riot. Hence the surveillance drones and planes. Get used to it or stop rioting. And the gov't will go back to their normal surveillance state. So yeah, we still need strong encryption.
- chooseaname 6y ago
  > Peaceable assembly is what the anti-lockdown protesters were all about, but those people are grandma killers, right? They came with long guns and spat at the police officers. But, okay, sure, that's "Peaceable".
  - 0xffff2 6y ago
    ... yes? How many people did they shoot? AFAIK it was 0, in which case how many guns they brought is irrelevant. Likewise spitting at police officers is pretty peaceable by the standards of the current riots. To be clear, they are total and complete idiots, but unless I've missed something they are peaceful idiots.
acdha 6y ago
Encryption is a small part of the problem: you need to deal with mass tracking, coercion, infiltration, and the lack of checks and balances preventing abuse. I want strong E2E encryption as well but it’s just one part of a large problem.