[BombNullIsland]

You just assume that every electronic communication is dragneted now. Your phone, your car radio's bluetooth radio, toll transponder, alpr, everything.

What I like about the signals-intelligence-only focus is that I can leave my phone at home, hop on an ebike with a legally mandated helmet obscuring my face from cameras, and I'm completely invisible to the state. I just don't exist. Unlike East Germany there's no HUMINT apparatus in the west or in China.

[culturestate]

> Unlike East Germany there's no HUMINT apparatus in the west or in China

Nobody telegraphs their intentions like the Stasi did, but to believe that no state has developed coordinated efforts to get people to snitch on each other (the most effective Stasi tactic) is...let's say seeing things through an extremely rosy lens.

[ruined]

in any area with buildings, there are enough cameras to achieve decent tracking of an individual with a bit of legwork, and that legwork is quickly being automated by amazon et al with ring and similar efforts. newer cars also collect a lot of data that could be looped into such a system so you'd better avoid roads too. and wait til you hear about extreme definition wide angle cameras on aerial platforms

[peteretep]

> Unlike East Germany there's no HUMINT apparatus in the west or in China.

I think I wouldn't want to rely on that assumption

[hosteur]

> Unlike East Germany there's no HUMINT apparatus in the west or in China.

You are very mistaken. Just because HUMINT are more discreet does not mean it does not exist.

Also, some of the stuff they do are very blatant. Just look at cases like Assange and Jake Appelbaum. Clearly HUMINT efforts.

[jopsen]

I personally suspect there are no HUMINT efforts to spy on me :)

[gccs]

>legally mandated helmet obscuring my face from cameras

Can you link to the bike helmet you are referring to?