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Seems like a really slow, cumbersome technique to monitor people. The one officer was rapidly scrolling looking for who knows what. No one can read or even scan
by awb 5y ago
Seems like a really slow, cumbersome technique to monitor people. The one officer was rapidly scrolling looking for who knows what. No one can read or even scan text that fast, so I guess looking for photos?
At the human level there are probably plenty of low-tech techniques to keep yourself safe like deleting messages or using coded language.
It’s sad to watch Russia descend into totalitarianism.
- therusskiy 5y agoIt is meant to intimidate others. They can't possibly jail everyone, but they can scare them by arresting several thousands.
- gregoriol 5y agoThey already did something like "jail everyone" in the last century, it's not impossible for them to play by the same book again...
- ruined 5y ago
- Teever 5y agoThere has to be some sort of law of the internet that on a long enough timeline the political conversation will converge on modern American politics. As a non-American that's probably my biggest irritation with the internet. Beyond the inane Facebook arguments, beyond the cesspool of comments on modern news websites, hell even beyond the Youtubers hawking stupid services, I have to say the single most irritating thing about the internet is that someone somewhere is waiting with bated breath to turn the conversation into some diatribe on the state of modern American society and the historical context in which it arose. The article is about Moscow, not America. If you don't anything to say about Moscow don't feel nervous and start talking about America the one thing you can talk about. Don't sweat it, just sit this one out and let other people talk about the subject at hand. Listen and think about what people are saying about Russia and then the next time there's a conversation about Russia you will have something relevant to say about it.
- mechanical_bear 5y agoThis tactic is used by trolls to distract from the real issue. It puts people on the defensive rather than discussing the actual topic. “Whataboutism” at its best.
- sofixa 5y agoSometimes it's not even a troll distracting, sometimes it's a stupid American who can't not talk about his unique experience - you see this often on Reddit, someone from a country will complain about something specific there, and an American will show up to say "that's nothing, here at Whatever, TX, it's even worse/better/bigger/cooler/etc."
- gafferongames 5y agoBut usually it's trolls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
- User23 5y agoThe term “whataboutism” is a tell for intellectual laziness at best. Considering multiple particular cases to draw general conclusions is basic ratiocination. You might as well just call the person you’re talking to a “chud” instead and be done with it.
- gafferongames 5y agoIf you cannot defend a subject without resorting to whataboutism, I would say this instead is intellectual laziness.
- User23 5y agoI wouldn’t call Socrates intellectually lazy.
- 5y ago
- t_mann 5y agoNobody's saying the present US justice system is perfect, but if you seriously think it compares to Stalin's Gulags, or the psychological effects they've had even on people who weren't directly affected, you're unhinged. Whether Putin can or will create anything comparable is open, but the historical precedent is there. And he has expressed his affection for the Soviet system on many occasions, calling its demise one of the 'greatest tragedies of the 20th century'.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- stirfish 5y agoI think the point they were making is, the effects policing (even in a police state) aren't felt uniformly by everyone. A society could throw "almost everyone in jail" and you might not feel it at all.
- stjohnswarts 5y agoWhataboutism is whataboutism. We aren't talking about the USA here. I've never been stopped by a cop and asked to look through my phone. I have no fear of that happening.
- quiet_cool 5y agoBut I'm pretty sure we treat out prisoners better here in America. I seem to remember hearing about how they are actually commuting a lot of sentences to combat prison overcrowding. A land of laws requires some some sort of punishment for criminals.
- fivea 5y ago> They already did something like "jail everyone" in the last century, it's not impossible for them to play by the same book again... Let's rephrase it then: Putin can't jail everyone and still expect to have any semblance of support.
- stjohnswarts 5y agoI think we're past the "support" department. He doesn't care any longer and he will probably start cutting off all western influences soon and go back to old Soviet techniques to scare the populace into compliance. He sees the west as "destroying" the superior Russian culture and he's trying to get back to that. You are going to start seeing a lot more people being disappeared in the Soviet Union in the coming months as the West's universal shutting off Russia from the world economy.
- smcl 5y ago> in the Soviet Union Sorry, where?
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- speed_spread 5y agoIt's just a cheaper way to jail everyone. Nation-wide house arrest, virtual panopticon. Poof, you've all jailed yourself.
- stjohnswarts 5y agoYeah it seems more like a fear/Stasi technique than they're actually reading the messages.
- duxup 5y agoIt’s probably more intended to intimidate than anything else.
- thatwasunusual 5y ago> It’s sad to watch Russia descend into totalitarianism. Descend INTO? Excuse me, but what part of Russia isn't already totalitarianism?
- throwaway290 5y ago
- quadrangle 5y ago> You can publish news and analysis that denounce the government and call for it to stop the war So you say, but: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/05/1084729579/russian-law-bans-journalists-from-calling-ukraine-conflict-a-war-or-an-invasion https://www.npr.org/2022/03/05/1084729579/russian-law-bans-j... Oops, so much for being okay with publishing and protesting. It's now criminal to call it a "war" even if you don't take a position against it.
- throwaway290 5y agoDoes China have a law against mentioning Tiananmen? Ah yes, there is no need for it, because no one knows and those who know do not dare speak. That's what totalitarianism is. Besides, focusing on the word 'war' is a straw man. You want the discussion to refocus on it without considering whether my point would stand had the word not been used. Here it is, slightly expanded: there is independent and oppositional media that honestly criticizes the government, tirelessly points out that elections are invalid, etc. It legally operates offline and online. Is that possible with your definition of totalitarianism?
- mechanical_bear 5y agoThe use of “war” to describe the situation in Ukraine is not a straw man. Words mean things. How we discuss things informs our overall thoughts on the matter, this guiding our action or inaction.
- f311a 5y agoHe just looking for familiar icons in Telegram.
- quadcore 5y agoSeems like a really slow, cumbersome technique to monitor people. On the contrary, this is evil genius. Once the rumour spread that happens, people stop communicating about the war. At the human level there are probably plenty of low-tech techniques to keep yourself safe like deleting messages or using coded language. 99.9% of the population wont take any risks (e.g. even receiving text messages about the war). They will closely monitor their phone and block anybody who dont do the same.
- b112 5y agoAnother thought is, OK, you deleted all your texts. Then, walking around, a text comes in, and seconds later a cop asks for your phone.. Fear, as you say, is the purpose.
- agumonkey 5y agoRussia might be poor, especially now, but most young people have seen using two or more phones. Burner bumdphone is not a difficult concept. Someone needs to drop a stock of old lineageos/android phones in there.
- stjohnswarts 5y agoWon't they pat you down for phones though? I mean burner phones are kind of an obvious thing these days.
- cobby 5y agoFirst, they were looking if the person is subscribed to specific Telegram channels. It is quite easy to quickly scan list of channels looking for specific logos. Second, it is supposed to intimidate others and force the to unsubscribe from telegram channels that post alternative view on current events. Hence, effectively blocking people from getting info.
- jdrc 5y agoin one way totalitarianism is more organized (and worse) than kleptocracy
- permalac 5y agoDescending?
- gaius_baltar 5y ago> Seems like a really slow, cumbersome technique to monitor people. No, it is a terror approach. Random people will get the news and panic about being the next to be catch in a police round-up.
- mechanical_bear 5y ago“…descend (deeper) into totalitarianism.”
- Qem 5y agoThought the same. Can't they just do NSA-like bulk collection and search, like US does with Xkeyscore? Once you automate it, no need to search phones one by one.
- stirfish 5y agoI bet airport security could be sped up too. A stranger sticking their thumbs down your waistband sends very strong message. The more you automate, the less personal the experience becomes.
- viktorcode 5y agoI guess it's a clumsy attempt to proactively prevent anti-war protest by detaining potential protestors.
- spaetzleesser 5y agoIt’s a perfect approach for intimidating people.
- stirfish 5y ago>Seems like a really slow, cumbersome technique to monitor people I agree. I wonder how many times they found what they're looking for? Maybe slow and clumsy is part of the goal. It's a deliberate interruption that signals someone is paying attention. They probably have all sorts of classified network capture whatever, but that's not visible. It's the difference between your boss monitoring your email, and your boss sitting down at your desk and scrolling through your email.
- Daniel1Rosen 5y agoThis is the fight against unauthorized rallies. The majority of Russians support the actions of the police. Russians don't want war, they want guns taken away from their borders.
- tinus_hn 5y agoIt’s just to scare people in compliance.
- sharken 5y agoIt should serve as a very vivid lesson on what happens when you keep the same leader for too long. Russia will only prosper when Putin is gone, which is at least 10 years from now.
- MrDisposable 5y agoI'm afraid when Putin is gone (he's not immortal), our "elites" will fall to their knees before the West, begging to get their seized assets back. And they will bring offerings in exchange for that: unilateral demilitarization and nuclear disarmament. Also, I predict that Russia may be allowed to sell its oil and gas again, but the proceeds will not go to Russia: they will be directed towards rebuilding Ukraine.
- MrDisposable 5y agoThis isn't monitoring. This is to send a message that dissent will not be tolerated.
- twelve40 5y agoThat's because it's not a technique to monitor people. What's conveniently omitted here is that this was done during the protests (hence the riot gear) that they are trying to stop. While illegal, there is certainly crazier shit you can watch from protests in other countries.
- smugglerFlynn 5y agoNow imagine that all this fear is just a cherry on the relocation cake for an average middle class Russian. Purchasing two flight tickets out of Russia right now, using rubles that have now devalued 50%, will cost a monthly salary of a senior developer. Booking hotel for two weeks abroad will cost the same. Half of all the flights out were now shut down. Those who are lucky to still keep their jobs (many people are not) — those are competing the clock as their chances to get out reduce every single minute. People who lost jobs and have no liquid money investments are totally f*d. I closely know at least two people who have relatives in Ukrain and now have no resources to support them, and they get fear-mongered into submission by new criminal laws and these random border controls. Me and many others write more about it here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30580767 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30580767
- raxxorrax 5y agoYou just need to do that once or twice to instill fear not to write anything wrong on your private device.