Public buses being outfitted with sophisticated audio surveillance across U.S.

[We People]

Public buses being outfitted with sophisticated audio surveillance across U.S.
By David Edwards
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 16:18 EST

...Documents obtained by The Daily indicated that at least seven cities throughout the United States were installing surveillance systems capable of capturing riders’ conversations in addition to the video already being captured by existing systems.

“This is very shocking,” University of Pennsylvania privacy law expert Anita Allen told The Daily. “It’s a little beyond what we’re accustomed to. The adding of the audio seems more sensitive.”

While transit agencies say that the system is intended to enhance safety and resolve passenger complaints, experts have warned that the technology could easily be misused.

“Given the resolution claims, it would be trivial to couple this system to something like facial or auditory recognition systems to allow identification of travelers,” security consultant Ashkan Soltani explained after reviewing the specifications of one system. “This technology is sadly indicative of a trend in increased surveillance by commercial and law enforcement entities, under the guise of improved safety.”

More at:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/12/11/public-busses-being-outfitted-with-sophisticated-audio-surveillance-across-u-s/

Are we a police state yet?

[HiPointDem]

1. let's see: the streets, your home, your car, public transportation...and everything via satellite &

computer postings -- where *aren't* we surveilled?

hi agent mike

[Octafish]

2. Database will eventually include and match voice, face, body, medico, credit...

...politics. And you better not rock the boat.

Police State is just the beginning...

[Mojorabbit]

3. I just wonder what it is they are expecting every time I read these articles.

It is worrisome.

[Systematic Chaos]

4. Except, all that fancy shit gets neglected, breaks down, and generally isn't repaired or replaced.

The bus fleet in Las Vegas had cameras and microphones, but a good 2-3 years ago I saw a story in the local media about how none of it works. I doubt that has changed given the shit job the private company running the transit service generally does across the board, and the completely deficient budget they run on.

[Journeyman]

5. This was fun. You start following this story back to its source and. . .

Last edited Wed Dec 12, 2012, 05:16 AM - Edit history (1)

from Rawstory you have a hat tip to Wired, which attributes the article to The Daily, which when you follow that lead brings you to a news site established for the sole purpose of providing news content to iPads and other assorted tablets.

Where it really gets interesting, however, is when you search for what and how reliable The Daily app is and the first article that comes up is a piece from The Guardian whose headline tells you "The Daily closes shop: why the news app was doomed from the start."

But it's the subhead that truly catches the eye, for there you learn this tablet-only venture is part of Rupert Murdoch's bullshit mountain, and suddenly all the talk about "Big Brother Obama" listening in on everything people riding the bus and the street cars say to each other begins to lose some of its luster, and you begin to think it may all just be a big ol' turd someone's polishing to smear their "enemies" with.

And when coupled with the idea that the months-old Daily is going out of business for some truly idiotic reasons, you find . . . well, you find maybe there just isn't enough there with which to concern yourself. Leastways, that's the take I have on it.


The Guardian, 3 December 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/the-daily-closes-app-doomed-from-start

[cliffordu]

6. Kablooey. Great post.