Big Brother Is Watching Your Car

>>The police do not need a warrant to follow someone physically; why should they need a warrant to follow someone technologically?<<

Variously:

If the police see someone doing something suspicious and follow them right away, that's part of their regular job. If they have a suspicion about someone and want to follow them regularly then they ought to have to prove probable cause for that, because it's bad to have people spying on each other for no good reason. (I don't know what the law is in this regard. That's just my stance.)

Following a specific person affects primarily that person. Putting a trace on a vehicle could potentially affect other people who use that vehicle, who could thus be considered involved in a crime they don't actually know anything about. That guilt-by-association is already a severe problem in the "war on drugs" and does not need to be made any worse.

Following a person may be done in public space. Putting a trace on a vehicle may also -- or it may involve entering private property without a warrant, which is something to be discouraged.

I simply do not trust the government to use this power responsibly, especially without the oversight of having to get a warrant. The abuses of power and invasions of privacy are piling up in what I find to be an alarming manner, and they are NOT making for a safe or sane place to live. This makes me inclined to fight each new incursion.

>> On the other hand since it was applied in secret I consider that permission to "re-apply" the tracker elsewhere.

Like maybe a congressman's vehicle. B-) <<

Good for you!

Though I suppose, personally, I have little to worry about even if someone tried this on a vehicle I frequent. I'm lucky if I can keep from killing hardware I'm trying to protect. Nonpermissioned hardware would have a very short life expectancy.

And I'm sure someone will make money devising debugger scanners.

That's good to know.

I had for a time enjoyed being in a world that wasn't so spy-crazy, but it's nice that there's equipment for dealing with one that is.

Hmm, wrap it in bread and feed it to a pigeon.

>>Dale is ... creative. I'm glad he's never decided to take up a life of crime.<<

I am rather worried about the state of society today, and the degree to which it attempts to crush young people. Thwarted genius tends to become destructive, and I would rather that people had positive than negative outlets for their abilities.

I wouldn't necessarily make that leap. It might still be illegal for random people to trace each other's cars. Of course, that doesn't mean they won't do it: the potential for abuse is extremely high, and orders of protection are very flimsy armor indeed. *sigh* Which is a whole new hassle for women's shelters and domestic abuse services to have to deal with now, trying to make sure nobody's car is bugged.

I appreciate your support of privacy.