community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Big Brother is watching!
by Theo
Friday, Apr. 11, 2003 at 5:42 PM
TheoK444@aol.com
Postings from the internet introduced as evidence at trial.
Most of us assume that the authorities monitor this and other web sites, but now we have proof. The district attorney attempted to introduce postings from one of the anti-war demonstrators arrested on March 20 into evidence at his trial today. It is legal for the authorities to monitor these sites and to use anything you say against you. This is a public forum, the same as writing a letter to the editor or giving a speech in a public space. There is no assumption of privacy. And yes, the authorities know exactly who you are. Just because you post using an alias, don't think they can't trace it back to you. Just a warning to anyone out there who thinks this or any other internet forum are not being monitored. Watch what you say.
Amazing
by amazed
Friday, Apr. 11, 2003 at 10:11 PM
To the prosecutor in the DA;s office and/or FBI agent reading this message, I just want to say that I love all law enforcement personnel. You guys are the best.
Are You All That Naive
by Hyde Mislami
Friday, Apr. 11, 2003 at 10:20 PM
Of course they can use this. NOW DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHY PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS HERE ???? Project 1877 isn't the only lynch mob out there !!!!!
P.S. I Love The Po-Lease. I Love Them All. I love the FBI even more.
monitoring
by commentorite
Friday, Apr. 11, 2003 at 10:44 PM
thats really freaky, and so is this from the indymedia story:
"At his hearing, police admitted to targeting him and having followed him at several previous protests. "
we really do live in a police state.
.
by .
Friday, Apr. 11, 2003 at 11:37 PM
maybe they targetted him because he has a history of throwing newspaper stands in the street? If by "police state" you mean "we target criminals" then I guess we are in a police state.
exactly
by commentorite
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 1:42 AM
people are not allowed to be free. they are harrassed, monitored, arrested and beaten by the police. the police are the force of state power and oppress and scare the masses to impliment state authority. by defending owners of property and capital the police act in the interests of the few in opposition to the many.
Privacy
by .
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 5:21 AM
They can't get your name if you post anonymously, unles they serve a subpeona on IMC. They can also get it if IMC tries to figure out who you are through their webserver (in violation of IMC's own privacy policy and TOU).
Privacy==More Info
by Snooping
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 10:14 AM
Well, I disagree with the previous message.
"They" can identify you, even if you post messages here anonymously. Here is how:
There exist various methodologies to "sniff" Internet traffic and to examine the messages while they are in transit. Furthermore, I would not be surprised if the Patriot Act gave law enforcement agencies the power to, effectively, "tap" into these sites.
In addition, general information that has been available on web-sites has been used by prosecutors to justify excessive actions.
As a result, I would make the following recommendations to anybody posting messages:
1. Assume that your identiy can be determined. Do not assume that your messages will really be anonymous.
2. Do not post any messages that in any way threaten people or, in any way, encourage unlawful activity.
3. If you are a party in any lawsuit, do not post any messages whatsover directly relating to the lawsuit. Those only have the potential to hurt you.
We all must learn from this most recent trial. A message from this board was effectively used against peaceful protestors.
Love the law
by Theo
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 10:38 AM
TheoK444@aol.com
Oh yes, i forgot to mention in my earlier post that i, too, love the police. And the FBI. And all law enforcement personell. In fact, i think John Ashcroft is really hot.
I think...
by Sam
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 11:49 AM
I think that we should establish a more private board for area activists elsewhere -- one that's password-protected and such -- in order to have serious discussions without having to worry about law enforcement or about trolls.
Another Comment
by I agree
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 11:55 AM
One has to acknowledge the extraordinary dedication of the district attorney's under-paid public servants who monitored this web-site in order to fully prosecute the pgh-122
Incidentally, the district attorney is an elected position. He next stands for election this year, 2003.
Most college students do not vote. I wonder what could happen if we started to vote in Pittsburgh in large numbers? We live here. This is our city, too.
so yall know
by imc'er
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 4:02 PM
the imc doesn't track IPs, so if you post anonymously, there's no way for anyone to know who you are. but, if you post anonymously, there's no way for people to know if you're for real. that's your choice. but i wanted to clear up that even if they *did* subpoena us, we've got nothing on y'all.
ALso so ya know...
by Perry Mason
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 4:44 PM
WHo's to say that anything posted under your name was actually posted by you??? You might not remember what you post from day to day, right. So why do you have to say that it was your post. What if everyone started posting under the name Andy Horbal??? Then how could anything be used against Andy Horbal, unless Andy says it was his post.
be careful
by huxley
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 7:14 PM
They even have "cyber crime" departments at trade schools where you can learn how to fight cyber crime and internet terrorism. What exactly is internet terrorism? Anything they decide it to be.
Consider the level of competence
by Not impressed
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 8:06 PM
These are the same people who can't make a mugshot look like you, ignored blantant warings about 9/11, allowed 30 unarmed demonstrators to infiltrate the World Bank HQ while under an Orange Alert (orange makes me look fat, I hate orange alerts) and have a brilliant "find the bad guys" program on playing cards. That should be very sucessful with the Iraqi people, since gambling is strictly forbidden by Islam. Sure they have some scary toys, but these are paper pushing bueraucrats more worried about their funding than anything else. The real dangers are still the same, judges with personal agendas, police officers like, Kacsuta (who for some reason is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, as well as having a history of false arrests and perjury) who have no problem lying under oath, and a party-line media. It doesn't matter which truths they pick up, when their lies hold the same weight.
Since we know that the authorites are faithful readers here, send them on wild goose chases, get them to concentrate their manpower on a certain area and be somewhere else. The disinformation possibilities are endless. We aren't dealing with very bright people.
Interesting...
by ?
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 10:25 PM
Can you post something on Kacsuta's record? Also, Doyle for that matter, if you have anything.
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