Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Universal Intercept

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  • nic.wise,

    BTW: Kudos to Vodafone's Paul Brislen for having the skills and sense to post information in his official capacity, as he did on Stephen's blog. I wish comms people did that more often, rather than insisting on routing the information through a third party in the news media.

    He does this quite a bit, and I'm guessing he's a fairly busy lad (or, he spends his time surfing all day :) ). But yes - he's about the only rep from the likes of a Telco (except maybe WordXchange) who does it.

    Bravo that man, even if we dont see eye to eye all the time.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I don't regard Mr O'Connor as a great servant of liberty, and I wouldn't expect him to grasp the potential for abuse of such an archive.

    Russell, I'd go a damn sight further -- I don't regard O'Connor as a great servant of the members of the Police Association. In the end, he's a union boss and I expect him to be a forceful advocate for the interests of his members. But does he need to constantly engage in the not so subtle moral blackmail of "either you're with me, or you're a hoodie-cuddling cop hater"?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    the face book interview was rather fun, i watched the train wreck roll in over real time on my twitter feed.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    But does he need to constantly engage in the not so subtle moral blackmail of "either you're with me, or you're a hoodie-cuddling cop hater"

    LOL, that's funny.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    I've never been cuddled on account of my hoodies. What am I doing wrong? And should I turn myself in?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    SJ said; And should I turn myself in?

    The magic internetball says...Yes.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • barnaclebarnes,

    The Facebook interview was painful for the first 48 minutes (I was there live and in person.) Mark just kept on repeating the line "Facebook is a platform to help people connect and communicate effectively". Once the crowd turned on Sarah though it was pretty funny. She shouldn't have fought the crowd like she did, one person can't win against 2000 audience members.

    Photo of talk - FAIL!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 90 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Sarah Lacy committed the cardinal sin of trying to do as much talking as her subject. She obviously comes from the this is as much about me as it is about him school of faux journalism. The pity of the Youtube clip is that once the audience gets into it, a person standing to the right of the camera blots out the interviewer and you can't see her reaction to the heckling but only hear her comments. It must have been acutely embarrassing for her.

    As for the Dominion Post story about crims' texts - does anyone remember the Big Brother surveillance nation story that appeared last year? It seems that it was news that every transaction you make together CCTV cameras around the place meant that every move you made was being electronically recorded - somewhere and could possibly be used ....maybe. Shocking but true.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    "Hey mate, Toni has just told the pigs we burned down the house at Thackeray St. We need to get our story straight."

    I like to think our police would still have the acumen to capture some of these criminal masterminds without the availability of archived texts.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Graham,

    It always bugged me that O'Conner would defend officers on issues before any of the facts regarding the case were clear.

    To an extent I could accept it in the role of an advocate where he had to always support the officer in question, until he chose to go against the policewoman moonlighting as a prostitute.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 118 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Here's some of the story - unfortunately the entire story has been 'erased' from the Stuff website.

    Sleepwalking into a surveillance society
    By PATRICK CREWDSON - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 10 April 2007
    New Zealand risks descending into a surveillance society like Britain where people are continually monitored as they work, shop and move around, privacy watchdogs warn.
    "This huge information technology revolution we are living through is exciting. Many amazing and useful things can be done. Beyond useful - lifesaving," New Zealand's privacy commissioner, Marie Shroff, says.
    "But what we should do is take a look at how the technology is being used."
    In Britain, reputedly the most spied upon country, information commissioner Richard Thomas has repeatedly warned people they are "sleepwalking into a surveillance society".
    Twenty per cent of the world's CCTV cameras are in Britain - one for every 12 people.
    The average person can be caught on CCTV 300 times a day. An innovation about to be piloted in 20 areas is talking cameras, enabling anyone misbehaving to be told off by a loudspeaker.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    I don't regard Mr O'Connor as a great servant of liberty, and I wouldn't expect him to grasp the potential for abuse of such an archive.

    Greg was on the TV news trumpeting about how crims are being prosecuted because of the information retrieved from their cell phones; implying (IMO) they would get away with it if the Telcos were allowed to 'wipe' txt msgs.

    Which made me think: could this be a new variation on the old standby 'yes m'lud, I wuz in remand wiv 'im and he sed he dunnit' ??

    I can picture a 'suspect' being interviewed in one room while out back someone is using his phone to text 'pigs jst puld up - i think dey no i dunit'

    (Memo to jurors: be a little skeptical if the text message reads: 'Crikey, the Police have just pulled up outside. I knew I wouldn't get away with it. Can you call my lawyer? Shit I'll probably get 2 years for this. Oh well fair cop")

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    LOL, that's funny.

    Thanks for the compliment, merc, but I wish O'Connor would bloody cut it out. Call me a wet liberal pussy, if you must, but I actually think there's some relationship between the extremely high levels of public respect for the Police (which the overwhelming majority deserve, IMO), and the idea that they are public servants who are open to scrutiny and criticism.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    The average person can be caught on CCTV 300 times a day. An innovation about to be piloted in 20 areas is talking cameras, enabling anyone misbehaving to be told off by a loudspeaker.

    i'll never be able to urinate in a public place again </stagefright>

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Hubbard,

    A friend who conducts commerce investigations was pointing to an Australian case where the colluding parties maintained separate prepay phones for their negotiations, which ripped off people by $10's of millions. Their position was that removal of txt archival removed a valuable retrospective audit/investigative trail and that if the information was properly proitected, ie accessible only by search warrant, then it was not an issue. Fair practical point.

    My position is the Heisenbergian one that monitoring people necessarily changes their behaviour, even if they're innocent, therefore unless the information is extremely valuable, the cost is simply too high.

    Which is, I guess, a classical liberal/conservative standoff.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 18 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Call me a wet liberal pussy

    Can I do it in a txt? ura wet libz puss.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    The only thing about a soaked feline that's liberal is the hissy fits.
    Nah, can't quite see the parallel.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Commented on this Saturday.

    Just another demonstration of how our monopoly newspapers have a built-in bias towards authoritarianism, if not explicitly towards the National party (until recently).

    Incidentally, I'm surprised that defence lawyers don't question the admissability of text messages as evidence, considering they can be easily forged: http://www.smsspoofing.com/

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Rich, I don't think using them as proof is the idea. It's using them for clues.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I'm fairly sure I've seen them reported as being given in evidence. Graeme?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Here's some of the story - unfortunately the entire story has been 'erased' from the Stuff website.

    Someone else might know better, but I don't think stuff archives all news stories. They tend to disappear after some period of time. I don't know if that has to do with stuff, or has to do with their deal with the newspapers. I don't think it's any conspiracy anyway.

    An innovation about to be piloted in 20 areas is talking cameras, enabling anyone misbehaving to be told off by a loudspeaker.

    Ahem.

    i'll never be able to urinate in a public place again

    Hey you. Stop piddling on the lamppost! Yes, everyone is looking at you now! Yes you look like a dick! Thank you.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    They certainly have been used in evidence. I suspect police would use them for both.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Rich, I don't think using them as proof is the idea. It's using them for clues.

    I'm pretty sure they were used as evidence in the Wellington case O'Connor was talking about.

    And the cops certainly (and understandably) wanted to use them in the Te Qaeda cases -- in fact, they were a substantial part of the leaked affadavit, and made for some of the best reading in it. But those intercepts were conducted under proper warrants, after certain activities came to the attention of the police.

    It's the "clues" thing I'd be wary about. You don't want to set up the facility for the authorities to just go on fishing expeditions.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    i'll never be able to urinate in a public place again

    Count your blessings. There are US states where taking a leak down an alley at night can get you on a sex offenders' register.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Kyle wrote: "I don't know if that has to do with stuff, or has to do with their deal with the newspapers. I don't think it's any conspiracy anyway."

    No not a conspiracy, just a really bad story that they should be embarrassed about.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

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