Picture
Many citizens of the West are currentlyy unhappy about planned changes to privacy, in particular Internet privacy. We never know just how secure any of our information is, particularly online.

Of course the Internet has given people an outlet. A place to have a voice with the potential to reach a massive audience. As we all know governments like to be in charge of information and what is filtered through to individuals. There will of course be many reasons why a government might try to "snoop" whilst your are online.

Canada is now joining the ranks of snoopers. The issue is still at the debate stage but many writers online and media sources are already dreading its possible passage into law. The Conservative Canadian government is using the increase in child pornography as a reason for the proposed changes.

Most of the Western Internet "snooping" laws have fancy names such as SOPA and PIPA but Canada's takes this to a new level. The Investigative Powers for the 21st Century Act (Bill C-51) is what the Canadian Parliament will use to discuss further restrictions. 

So what might any changes mean to the people of Canada as they go about their daily online activity?It will give law enforcement officers greater powers. They will be able to monitor all Internet and telephone activity from anyone, anywhere in the country, without having to obtain a warrant. That must read as bad news to everyone. It cannot simply be this blogger that thinks implementing such powers would be the thin edge of the wedge?

Canadian pundits are predicting that the majority Conservative government of Canada will easily and willingly pass the new legislation into law. Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Vic Toews, believes the bill is necessary. He said, We are proposing to bring to measure, to bring laws into the twenty-first century and provide police with the lawful tools that they need." 

Although many people have expressed concerns about the proposed changes Toews has basically said that you are either with the child pornographers, and so oppose the bill, or you are with the government and so are in favour of it. If only life were that simple. Such issues rarely are.

Implementing such strict measures will have child pornographers looking, finding and no doubt utilising other methods. Invading citizens privacy will bring no good to bear. As governments around the world continue to want to control the Internet and more, in their own countries, they hypocritically extol free speech and a free Internet usuage in foreign climes.

There is a full report at RT here
For those readers who want to sign a petition go to the "stop online spying” petition started by openmedia.ca. At time of writing 100,000 Canadians have signed the petition.

 
 
Picture
In the US a small group of people decided to loosely form a protest group. Called the Occupy Wall Street protest movement over the last couple of weeks the movement has grown.

Protests have occurred in other areas of the US apart from Manhattan where it all began. Support has grown but not universally so. There remain many people sceptical about the movement, its aims and its protesters.

The movement claims to be protesting in general about corporate greed but is there more to it than that?.

The movement has its own website which includes the following information, “a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.”

The original aim of the group seems to have changed somewhat now including protests against unemployment, health care, tuition fees and alleged police brutality. Their support has grown and this week the protesters have been joined by students, Union officials and members, and even those in the legal profession. Some people doubt the motives of some of these people joining the movement claiming that they have done so for their own ends.

Unsurprisingly some Republicans have attacked the movement's aims. One said, “They’re basically saying that somehow the government is supposed to take from those that have succeeded and give to those who want to protest. That’s not the way America was built.”

To this Brit that is a strange way at looking at the protests. President Obama when asked said, “I think it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel". It seems that even an opinion on such a minor movement will inflame party political beliefs.

Some celebrities and successful American citizens have shown support for the movement. These include Susan Sarandon, Michael Moore, George Soros and Tim Robbins.

In general it seems that those with political leanings toward the political left, Democrats in the US and those with leanings to the right, Republicans, are on opposite sides on this issue. No guesses for who supports or who does not.

A more global protest is planned for two weeks time, on October 15, 2011. Plans include a protest in Toronto, Canada.

More info at the Occupy Wall Street protest movement website here