How Governments Might Use Coronavirus to Chip Away At Our Privacy

CYBER

VICE

Tech News, News & Politics, Technology, News

4 • 645 Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2020

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Yes, friends, this week’s CYBER podcast was recorded from the comfort of our apartments. Because, well, the global pandemic.

Today on the show, we thought it would be important to discuss how coronavirus will affect state and corporate surveillance. Yes, because, like 9/11 and the quick enactment of the Patriot Act, there is already evidence of a boom for the spy industry. One company is advertising tech that leverages video surveillance software it says can spot people who have a fever, while the Israeli government has already given Shin Bet (its internal police agency) access to secretive cellular data to see who coronavirus positive patients have interacted with in an effort to stem the disease.

In other words, sometimes companies react to crises by exploiting a business opportunity and governments might look to increase their Big Brother powers. Motherboard editor-in-chief Jason Koebler joins host Ben Makuch on the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Tann, it's got the code it's going to launch.
0:10.7	It's a unit system.
0:13.1	I know this.
0:15.1	It's all the files of the whole park.
0:17.3	It tells her everything.
0:19.1	Sir, he's uploading the virus.
0:21.6	The Eagle One, the package is being delivered.
0:24.6	Yes, friends, I'm recording this lovely pod from the comfort of my apartment, because, well, the global pandemic.
0:31.6	Here's the WHO earlier.
0:34.6	We're deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the
0:42.9	alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be
0:52.5	characterized as a pandemic.
0:55.7	Today on the show, we thought it would be important to discuss how coronavirus will affect
1:00.1	surveillance. Yes, because, like 9-11 and the quick enactment of the Patriot Act.
1:05.7	Today, the president signed a big new anti-terrorism bill that would expand the government's
1:10.4	ability to track down terrorists,
1:12.8	but at some cost.
1:14.4	Sometimes governments react to crises by increasing their big brother powers.
1:19.3	So far, we're actually seeing evidence of it.
1:22.0	Jason Kebler joins me now.
1:24.4	I'm Ben Maku, and this is Cyber.
1:33.5	Thank you. I'm Ben Maku and this is Cyber. Hi, Ben.
	...

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