Surveillance

“AJ+ explores the risks and benefits of facial recognition software. We traveled to the Mexico-US border as Trump vows to complete a US biometric entry-exit system. In an AJ+ documentary series, Ahmed Shihab-Eldin investigates facial recognition at the border, meets men struggling with addiction at a gaming rehab, looks into the harassment women face online, […]

Government surveillance

Israeli Gov’t directly involved in Cyberbullying, Stalking of our US Students: MESA

Judith E. Tucker

Tucson, Az. (Middle East Studies Association of North America [MESA]) – May 23, 2018 Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan gerdan@knesset.gov.il sar@mops.gov.il Dear Minister Erdan: We write on behalf of the Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) to express our dismay that the Israeli government has been […]

Corruption

Treason: Obama Iran Deal Officials allegedly targeted by Trump via Israeli Black Cube

Juan Cole

On Saturday, The Observer broke the story that soon after Trump’s visit to Tel Aviv last year, his aides initiated a dirty tricks campaign to smear Obama-era officials Ben Rhodes, Colin Kahl (and likely others) in an effort to discredit the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear deal. Apparently the thinking […]

Domestic Surveillance

Comey did it to himself & Us, by gutting Privacy, Encryption, & 4th Amendment

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In former FBI director James Comey’s interview with ABC News, he attempted to position himself as an upholder of the rule of law, of the constitution, and even of the truth. Human beings are very good at forgetting their own misdeeds and building narratives that justify […]

Donald Trump

Spying on the Wrong People: The Hypocrisy of the Nunes Memo & FISA

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The frenzy over the Nunes memo, likely to be released later today by the Trump administration, contains a profound hypocrisy at its core, one that points to the rot at the core of the American government. The Republican conspiracy theory promoted by Nunes is that the […]

Government surveillance

US to Renew Internet Surveillance Program Exposed by Snowden

contributors

TeleSur | – – The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted to renew a warrantless internet surveillance program, disregarding civil liberties advocates. In a 65-34 vote the United States Senate approved Thursday a bill that renews a warrantless internet surveillance program for six years. The bill will allow the National Security Agency, NSA, to resume evesdropping on […]

FBI

Congressional Efforts to Expand NSA Spying on Americans are still a Danger

contributors

By David Ruiz | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – The debate over how to reauthorize certain NSA surveillance authorities has seen a whirlwind of activity, culminating in the major news that the House Rules Committee postponed a vote today to potentially expand NSA spying powers. As we wrote yesterday: “According to reports published Tuesday […]

Corporate Surveillance

Rice Vindicated: She did Unmask Trump, Bannon– but they were meeting UAE

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The United Arab Emirates crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan slipped into the United States on December 15 for a secret meeting with Trump, Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon. It is unusual for high government officials to visit without letting the White House […]

Bill of Rights

Shadowy US Covert Ops & Surveillance Abroad always Come Home

contributors

By Alfred W. McCoy | (Tomdispatch.com) | – – [This piece has been adapted and expanded from the introduction to Alfred W. McCoy’s new book, In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power.] In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks, Washington pursued its elusive enemies across the […]