Orwellian World: Part Trois

By William R. Toler

Even working in the news industry, I still seem to miss big stories.

If it wasn’t for Infowars.com, I never would have seen a story out of my home state about spying streetlights.

I was planning to write another post about how we’re heading toward the world of George Orwell’s 1984, citing the Emergency Alert System test held earlier this month, but other developments of intrusion were brought to my attention which I feel compelled to share.

FOX Charlotte reported earlier this month that new, high-tech streetlights known as Intellistreets could soon be spying on us as we stroll through some of our bigger cities, including Detroit and the Queen City. ABC-7 reports that the lights are able to “provide entertainment, save energy, make announcements, and even counts people for police.” Even more frightening is that they can take pictures and record conversations.

Now, while I support the notion that there is no real expectation of privacy in public places (for First Amendment reasons), we shouldn’t have the government spying on us in a free society.

Homeland insecurity

By William R. Toler

On Aug. 1, The Washington Post reported that laptops or other data storage devices may be confiscated by federal officials in the name of border security.

According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection policy regarding border search information from July 18, border protection officers may ” examine documents, books, pamphlets, and other printed material, as well as computers, disks, hard drives, and other electronic or digital storage devices…[as] part of CBP’s long-standing practice and are essential to uncovering vital law enforcement information.”

This policy not only applies to foreigners traveling to the country, but U.S. citizens as well. “In the course of a border search, and absent individualized suspicion, officers can review and analyze the information transported by any individual attempting to enter, reenter, depart, pass through, or reside in the United States, subject to the requirements and limitations provided herein.”