Surveillance

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 […]

Bill of Rights

Leaking in the Age of Trump: Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers (VICE Video)

contributors

VICE News | (Video News Report) | – – “VICE News examines the Trump administration’s war on leakers, with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. “We’re really seeing leaks that are dangerous to the president, embarrassing to the president, by agencies that feel themselves endangered by the president.” VICE News: “Daniel Ellsberg On Leaking In The […]

Corruption

Did UAE plant Fake News about Qatar to Fool Trump?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The intrepid Karen DeYoung and Ellen Nakashima report at WaPo that anonymous US intelligence officials have decided to go public with what they know about the attempt of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to frame Qatar. The hacking attack on May 23 that planted fake news, […]

Government surveillance

If Trump can Hunt the Undocumented by Cell Phone, what can he do to You?

contributors

By Adam Schwartz | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – In the latest sign of mission creep in domestic deployment of battlefield-strength surveillance technology, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year used a cell site simulator (CSS) to locate and arrest an undocumented immigrant, according to a report yesterday by The Detroit News. […]

Censors

Wikileaks’ Assange claims Victory after Sweden drops Charges, Vows to Publish More

contributors

TeleSur | – – Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Friday, saying the investigation had not been able to proceed because of legal obstacles. “Today is an important victory for me and for the U.N. human rights system,” Assange said in an address on the balcony of the Ecuadorean […]

Censors

Clapper Lied & Spied, now charges Trump w/ assault on Gov’t Institutions

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – During the past week we’ve been subjected to hours of testimony by or interviews with James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence. On Sunday, Clapper made waves when he said on CNN that Donald Trump is engaged in an assault on US institutions by doing things […]

Corporate Surveillance

Congress kills Privacy, Lets Corporations Sell your Browser History

contributors

By Ernesto Falcon | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – Putting the interests of Internet providers over Internet users, Congress today voted to erase landmark broadband privacy protections. If the bill is signed into law, companies like Cox, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon will have free rein to hijack your searches, sell your data, […]

Corporate Surveillance

Can you stop House from selling out your online Privacy, as Senate Just Did?

contributors

By Ernesto Falcon | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – Majority Leader McCarthy Confirms House to Immediately Act on Behalf of the Cable and Telephone Industry Following the Senate Vote Last week, the U.S. Senate by a razor thin margin of 50 to 48 voted to take away the privacy rights of Internet users as […]