Hidden Microphones Exposed As Part of Government Surveillance Program In The Bay Area

[Purveyor]

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Hidden microphones that are part of a clandestine government surveillance program that has been operating around the Bay Area has been exposed.

Imagine standing at a bus stop, talking to your friend and having your conversation recorded without you knowing. It happens all the time, and the FBI doesn’t even need a warrant to do it.

Federal agents are planting microphones to secretly record conversations.

Jeff Harp, a KPIX 5 security analyst and former FBI special agent said, “They put microphones under rocks, they put microphones in trees, they plant microphones in equipment. I mean, there’s microphones that are planted in places that people don’t think about, because that’s the intent!”

FBI agents hid microphones inside light fixtures and at a bus stop outside the Oakland Courthouse without a warrant to record conversations, between March 2010 and January 2011.

more...

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/05/13/hidden-microphones-exposed-as-part-of-government-surveillance-program-in-the-bay-area/

[MADem]

1. I thought they'd done this for years. This is news?

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/jul/17/shotspotter-gunshot-detection-schools-campuses-privacy


The system has been installed for about a decade in high-crime urban areas and near military bases, in the US and overseas. ShotSpotter covers more than 300 square miles in at least 90 cities across the United States.


...ShotSpotter claims it has no interest in recording private conversations on its system, which continually erases the data it picks up every one to two days. According to ShotSpotter’s privacy policy: “The entire system is intentionally designed not to permit ‘live listening’ of any sort. Human voices do not trigger ShotSpotter sensors.”

According to the ACLU’s Jay Stanley, there’s no reason not to believe the corporation’s claims, but that doesn’t mean there’s no cause for concern.


....In March, New York City police commissioner Bill Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city would begin installing a ShotSpotter pilot program in 10 Brooklyn precincts and seven in the Bronx. The city’s public advocate, Letitia James, has introduced a bill to the city council that would require quarterly reports on any data collected by ShotSpotter as well as any gunshot reports.

[Purveyor]

2. I know. I'm so goddamned sorry for posting this and wasting your

precious time.

[MADem]

3. Good grief, no need to be prickly. I'm just saying this isn't shocking to me. Nor are

cameras EVERYWHERE. If you lived in UK during The Troubles you couldn't go anywhere in urban areas without being on camera--since then, the 'habit' has spread round the globe.

The audio surveillance followed suit in reasonably short order.
Convenience stores started getting audio when they upgraded their systems--so it's not at all surprising that audio would accompany video in many cases. I would not be surprised if there are a generous number of cameras near installed audio systems.


Years ago, here on DU, in fact, I commented that the horse had long left the barn on this issue--it won't be rolled back. All people can do is be AWARE of it.

Here's an example, showing a robbery, of a video surveillance in a business w/audio (warning--it's a disturbing video so do not click if images of violence upset you):

[haikugal]

4. We are not a free society and haven't been for some time. I'm not surprised by this kind of thing

anymore. I'm very uncomfortable with what we've become and ready to fight back. That means voting for Bernie.

[Baobab]

6. People should move to the country or some trackless wilderness

inside a canyon, or maybe a cave, if they don't want to be under surveillance.

Every citizen is a potential criminal, especially the poor and rich ones!

And those in between.

I know that the prospect of being under surveillance is distasteful to people but nobody's asking them.

Nobody cares what people think.

I'm ready for Hillary! </sarcasm>

[bemildred]

5. Police state. Citizens must be watched. nt