activistpost--2020-01-27--Congress Now Funding “Controversial” Geoengineering “Plan B” to Spray Particles in the Sky to Cool E

Congress Now Funding “Controversial” Geoengineering “Plan B” to Spray Particles in the Sky to Cool Earth

It was reported this month that the top climate change scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has received $ 4 million in funding from Congress along with permission to study two highly controversial geoengineering methods in an attempt to cool the Earth .
According to Science Magazine , David Fahey , director of the Chemical Sciences Division of NOAA ’ s Earth System Research Laboratory , told his staff last week that the federal government is ready to examine the science behind “ geoengineering ” —or what he dubbed a “ Plan B ” for climate change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we go any further , it is important to point out to new readers that we are not a satire site .
We are not a conspiracy theory site .
The information you are about to read is factually accurate and 100 % real despite the ostensible ‘ skeptics ’ who claim otherwise .
Over the past several years , the “ conspiracy theory ” of spraying particles into the sky to cool the Earth has become more mainstream .
It came to a head last year when CNBC put out a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Help End Climate Change .
The video is nothing short of an infomercial for chemtrails .
It is truly bizarre how this subject has moved from the fringes of conspiracy circles and into the mainstream and no one is even batting an eye .
Now that Bill Gates has endorsed and funded it , the world is suddenly open to the idea of attempting to modify the planet ’ s weather by spraying chemicals into the atmosphere to block out the sun .
Now , the government is throwing their hat into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B ” approach is two-pronged , according to NOAA .
The Free Thought Project has reported on the first method before when Harvard scientists began talking about doing it .
Harvard scientists announced that they will attempt to replicate the climate-cooling effect of volcanic eruptions with a world-first solar geoengineering experiment , last year .
The university announced in July of 2019 that it has created an external advisory panel to examine the potential ethical , environmental and geopolitical impacts of this geoengineering project , which has been developed by the university ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Controlled Perturbation Experiment ( SCoPEx ) , the experiment will spray calcium carbonate particles high above the earth to mimic the effects of volcanic ash blocking out the sun to produce a cooling effect .
This appears to be the same as NOAA ’ s “ Plan B.
” Naturally , there are many critics of geoengineering .
The idea of geoengineering the planet has become so controversial that the government will soon be referring to it by a different name in a likely attempt to distract .
Fahey recommended changing the nomenclature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which he described as a “ more neutral word.
” This is exactly like renaming the U.S. Department of War to the Department of Defense .
As not to be too controversial , however , Fahey emphasized that this is not an approval to begin geoengineering .
Rather , it is a move by the US to prepare for the possibility that it may do this one day .
“ Geoengineering is this tangled ball of issues and science is only one of them , ” he said .
“ One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing is let ’ s separate the science out , ” he added .
The idea is to give policymakers a clear view of how a hurry-up bid to save the planet would work .
This type of talk is concerning to many people , including environmental groups , who say such efforts are a dangerous distraction from addressing the only permanent solution to climate change : reducing greenhouse-gas emissions .
The idea of injecting particles into the atmosphere to cool the earth also seems outright futile considering what scientists are trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second largest eruption of the 20th century , Mount Pinatubo , which erupted in the Philippines in 1991 , it injected 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide aerosols into the stratosphere .
Scientists from the USGS estimated that this 20 million tons only lowered the temperature of the planet by about 1°F ( 0.5°C ) and this only lasted a year because the particles eventually fell to back to Earth .
While this talk of geoengineering may sound like something out of a dystopian science fiction movie , the reality is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of governments and think tanks from around the world .
In fact , just last November , a study published in Environmental Research Letters , talked about doing the exact same thing—geoengineering and planes spraying particulates into the atmosphere to curb global warming .
What ’ s more , that study echoed the sentiments of then-CIA director John Brennan when he addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in 2016 , detailing a similar process of spraying chemical particulates in the atmosphere to cool the planet .
At the meeting , Brennan addressed instability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations .
During his long-winded talk of threats to US interests and how the largely CIA-created ISIL threat is impacting the world , Brennan brought up the topic of geoengineering .
Brennan went on to echo the calls from some scientists who have called for aerial spraying .
Again , this is not some conspiracy theory .
Watch him say all of this in the video below starting at the 12:05 marker .
The extent to which Brennan talked about stratospheric aerosol injection shows that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this for some time .
Although we are hearing more and more talk about geoengineering , it has been around for a very long time and not just in the realm of conspiracy theories .
In fact , scientists have already suggested that it could be going on right now , unintentionally .
Researchers with NOAA previously suggested that contrails from airplanes may be inadvertently geoengineering the skies .
Chuck Long is a researcher with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences ( CIRES ) at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in 2015 , Long and his team released their paper , “ Evidence of Clear-Sky Daylight Whitening : Are we already conducting geoengineering ?
” The analysis found that vapor from airplanes may be altering the climate through accidental geoengineering .
To be clear , no one here is claiming to be an expert on climate change or the effects of geoengineering .
But one thing is clear and it ’ s the fact that there is still much to be debated and learned before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate .
Aside from doing nothing to curb carbon emissions , if we are so quick to jump on this method , it could set off a chain reaction that could prove to be catastrophic .
Please share this article with your friends and family so that they may see what ’ s being planned for their future .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project , where this article first appeared .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Matt Agorist
It was reported this month that the top climate change scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has received $4 million in funding from Congress along with permission to study two highly controversial geoengineering methods in an attempt to cool the Earth. According to Science Magazine, David Fahey, director of the Chemical Sciences Division of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory, told his staff last week that the federal government is ready to examine the science behind “geoengineering”—or what he dubbed a “Plan B” for climate change.
What could possibly go wrong?
Before we go any further, it is important to point out to new readers that we are not a satire site. We are not a conspiracy theory site. The information you are about to read is factually accurate and 100% real despite the ostensible ‘skeptics’ who claim otherwise.
Over the past several years, the “conspiracy theory” of spraying particles into the sky to cool the Earth has become more mainstream. It came to a head last year when CNBC put out a video titled How Bill Gates-Funded Solar Geoengineering Could Help End Climate Change.
The video is nothing short of an infomercial for chemtrails. It is truly bizarre how this subject has moved from the fringes of conspiracy circles and into the mainstream and no one is even batting an eye. Now that Bill Gates has endorsed and funded it, the world is suddenly open to the idea of attempting to modify the planet’s weather by spraying chemicals into the atmosphere to block out the sun.
Now, the government is throwing their hat into the mix as well. This “Plan B” approach is two-pronged, according to NOAA.
One is to inject sulfur dioxide or a similar aerosol into the stratosphere to help shade the Earth from more intense sunlight. It is patterned after a natural solution: volcanic eruptions, which have been found to cool the Earth by emitting huge clouds of sulfur dioxide. The second approach would use an aerosol of sea salt particles to improve the ability of low-lying clouds over the ocean to act as shade.
The Free Thought Project has reported on the first method before when Harvard scientists began talking about doing it. Harvard scientists announced that they will attempt to replicate the climate-cooling effect of volcanic eruptions with a world-first solar geoengineering experiment, last year. The university announced in July of 2019 that it has created an external advisory panel to examine the potential ethical, environmental and geopolitical impacts of this geoengineering project, which has been developed by the university’s researchers.
Known as the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), the experiment will spray calcium carbonate particles high above the earth to mimic the effects of volcanic ash blocking out the sun to produce a cooling effect. This appears to be the same as NOAA’s “Plan B.”
Naturally, there are many critics of geoengineering.
The idea of geoengineering the planet has become so controversial that the government will soon be referring to it by a different name in a likely attempt to distract. Fahey recommended changing the nomenclature from geoengineering to “climate intervention,” which he described as a “more neutral word.”
This is exactly like renaming the U.S. Department of War to the Department of Defense.
As not to be too controversial, however, Fahey emphasized that this is not an approval to begin geoengineering. Rather, it is a move by the US to prepare for the possibility that it may do this one day.
“Geoengineering is this tangled ball of issues and science is only one of them,” he said.
“One of the things I’m interested in doing is let’s separate the science out,” he added. The idea is to give policymakers a clear view of how a hurry-up bid to save the planet would work.
This type of talk is concerning to many people, including environmental groups, who say such efforts are a dangerous distraction from addressing the only permanent solution to climate change: reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
The idea of injecting particles into the atmosphere to cool the earth also seems outright futile considering what scientists are trying to mimic—volcanic eruptions. If we look at the second largest eruption of the 20th century, Mount Pinatubo, which erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it injected 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide aerosols into the stratosphere. Scientists from the USGS estimated that this 20 million tons only lowered the temperature of the planet by about 1°F (0.5°C) and this only lasted a year because the particles eventually fell to back to Earth.
While this talk of geoengineering may sound like something out of a dystopian science fiction movie, the reality is that it has long been on the table of governments and think tanks from around the world. In fact, just last November, a study published in Environmental Research Letters, talked about doing the exact same thing—geoengineering and planes spraying particulates into the atmosphere to curb global warming.
What’s more, that study echoed the sentiments of then-CIA director John Brennan when he addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in 2016, detailing a similar process of spraying chemical particulates in the atmosphere to cool the planet.
At the meeting, Brennan addressed instability and transnational threats to global security at a meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations. During his long-winded talk of threats to US interests and how the largely CIA-created ISIL threat is impacting the world, Brennan brought up the topic of geoengineering.
Another example is the array of technologies—often referred to collectively as geoengineering—that potentially could help reverse the warming effects of global climate change. One that has gained my personal attention is stratospheric aerosol injection, or SAI, a method of seeding the stratosphere with particles that can help reflect the sun’s heat, in much the same way that volcanic eruptions do.
Brennan went on to echo the calls from some scientists who have called for aerial spraying.
An SAI program could limit global temperature increases, reducing some risks associated with higher temperatures and providing the world economy additional time to transition from fossil fuels. The process is also relatively inexpensive—the National Research Council estimates that a fully deployed SAI program would cost about $10 billion yearly.
Again, this is not some conspiracy theory. Watch him say all of this in the video below starting at the 12:05 marker.

The extent to which Brennan talked about stratospheric aerosol injection shows that he and the CIA have likely been considering this for some time.
Although we are hearing more and more talk about geoengineering, it has been around for a very long time and not just in the realm of conspiracy theories. In fact, scientists have already suggested that it could be going on right now, unintentionally.
Researchers with NOAA previously suggested that contrails from airplanes may be inadvertently geoengineering the skies.
Chuck Long is a researcher with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory at the University of Colorado in Boulder. At the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in 2015, Long and his team released their paper, “Evidence of Clear-Sky Daylight Whitening: Are we already conducting geoengineering?” The analysis found that vapor from airplanes may be altering the climate through accidental geoengineering.
To be clear, no one here is claiming to be an expert on climate change or the effects of geoengineering. But one thing is clear and it’s the fact that there is still much to be debated and learned before humans deliberately begin altering Earth’s climate. Aside from doing nothing to curb carbon emissions, if we are so quick to jump on this method, it could set off a chain reaction that could prove to be catastrophic.
Please share this article with your friends and family so that they may see what’s being planned for their future.
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project, where this article first appeared. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-27--The Establishment Doesn’t Fear Trump, And It Doesn’t Fear Bernie. It Fears You.

During the George W Bush administration it was popular in conspiracy circles to speculate that events might be orchestrated which would allow the Bush family to complete a coup against the US Constitution and hold on to power indefinitely .
Such paranoia and suspicion of government power in the wake of the extraordinary post-9/11 advancements in Orwellian surveillance programs and unprecedented military expansionism were perfectly understandable , but predictions that the younger Bush would not cede power at the end of his second term proved incorrect .
In today ’ s hysterical Trump-centric political environment we now see mainstream voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiratorial speculations about the current administration , and those will prove incorrect as well .
What these paranoid presidential prognostications get wrong is not their extreme suspicion of government , but their assumption that America ’ s real power structures require a certain president to be in place in order to advance depraved totalitarian agendas .
As anyone paying attention knows , intense suspicion of the US government is the only sane position that anyone can possibly have ; the error is in assuming that there is no mechanism in place to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one presidential administration to the next .
In a sense , the conspiracy theories about a Bush coup were actually correct : the Bush administration didn ’ t truly end .
All of its imperialist , power-serving agendas remained in place and were expanded under the apparent oversight of the following administration .
The same thing happened after the Obama administration , and the same thing–whether in 2021 or 2025–will happen after the Trump administration .
The disturbing fact of the matter is that if you ignore election dates and just look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government behavior over the years , you can ’ t really tell who is president or which political party is in power at any given point in time .
The mechanism which ensures the perpetuation of the same policies from administration to administration used to be referred to by analysts as the “ deep state ” , back before Trump and his supporters hijacked that term and began using it to essentially mean something like “ Democrats and anyone who doesn ’ t like Trump ” .
Originally the term deep state referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some shadowy cabal of Illuminati or Satanists or reptilians , but to the simple and undeniable fact that unelected power structures exist and tend to influence America ’ s official elected government .
It wasn ’ t a conspiracy theory , it was a concept used in political analysis to describe how US government agencies and plutocrats form loose alliances with each other and with official Washington to influence government policy and behavior .
It is inevitable that such a permanent second government would exist in the current iteration of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s impossible to have a globe-spanning empire of the sort America now has without long-term plans spanning years or decades for securing control of world resources , undermining rivals , securing more compliant allies , and ensuring military and economic hegemony .
If the US were a normal nation which simply minded its own affairs , a permanent government wouldn ’ t be necessary .
But because it isn ’ t , one is .
I very seldom use the term deep state anymore , because its meaning in mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I want to point to America ’ s permanent unelected power structures I usually use the word “ oligarchy ” or “ empire ” , or simply “ establishment ” .
This is why I haven ’ t been especially focused on the US presidential race , despite the Democratic primaries hitting fever pitch intensity .
While I believe the race can be a useful tool for forcing establishment propagandists to expose themselves ( virulent “ never Trump ” neocon Bret Stephens just came out in support of Trump if the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pete Buttigeig , for example ) , the result of the 2020 election isn ’ t going to change a whole hell of a lot .
This might be a bit offensive to both Trump supporters and Sanders supporters , but it ’ s true .
Whenever I point out that the current administration has been advancing many longstanding agendas of the CIA and neoconservative war pigs–agendas like military expansionism , imprisoning Assange , regime change interventionism in Iran and Venezuela , and reigniting the Cold War–his supporters always come in saying “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishment how come the establishment is working so hard to get rid of him , huh ?
” Well , for starters , they ’ re not .
Nobody who can count Senate seats believes Trump will be removed from office in the current impeachment sideshow , and everyone who understood Russiagate knew it was going to dead-end at nothing .
If they really wanted Trump gone they wouldn ’ t be pussyfooting around with a bunch of kayfabe combat that they know will never hurt him .
Obviously he wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the establishment , but there are mechanisms in place to ensure that the empire can tick right along with a less-than-ideal president in the White House .
This will also hold true if Sanders miraculously makes his way through another rigged primary , and then through whatever sabotage gets thrown his way in the general election .
Sure he might be able to sign a few somewhat beneficial executive orders and we probably wouldn ’ t see him flirting with an Iran war , but US imperialism will march on more or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies would require congress to successfully implement .
At best he ’ d be a mild reformer who uses the bully pulpit to help spread awareness while being narrative managed on all sides by the billionaire media , and any changes he manages to squeak through which inconvenience the establishment at all will be reversed by a subsequent administration .
Obviously the establishment would rather have someone in the White House who doesn ’ t constantly put an ugly face on the empire by accidentally exposing its mechanics all the time as Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an incompetent oaf like Trump in office than someone who actively points out the evils of oligarchy and imperialism like Sanders .
But the establishment which runs the US-centralized empire is not afraid of Trump , and it is not afraid of Sanders .
It ’ s afraid of you .
The unelected power establishment has ways of ensuring its dominance amid the comings and goings of America ’ s official elected government ; they are perfectly capable of dealing with one man being a less than ideal steward of the empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with , at all , is the prospect of ordinary people finally rising up and using the power of their numbers to force real change .
That is what they are really fighting against when they try to sabotage populist candidates : not the candidates themselves , but populism itself .
You wouldn ’ t know it from reading the billionaire media , but the Yellow Vests protests in France are still going on and have remained widespread for more than a year now .
This lack of coverage is partially due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for conveying the idea that the only governments whose citizens dislike them are those which haven ’ t been absorbed into the imperial blob like China and Iran .
But it ’ s also because the propagandists don ’ t want us getting any ideas .
The reason the propagandists work so hard to manufacture the consent of the governed is because they absolutely do require that consent .
If enough people decide that the status quo isn ’ t working for them and begin rising up to force it to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the establishment can do to stop them .
Right now the only thing keeping people from rising up in this way is the fact that they ’ ve been successfully propagandized not to , and the propagandists intend to keep it that way .
But eyes are beginning to open .
If real change is coming , it will come from there .
Not from electing anyone president , but from a large-scale awakening to the reality of our situation .
The only thing standing in the way is a thin layer of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website , which will get you an email notification for everything I publish .
My work is entirely reader-supported , so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around , liking me on Facebook , following my antics on Twitter , checking out my podcast on either Youtube , soundcloud , Apple podcasts or Spotify , following me on Steemit , throwing some money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , purchasing some of my sweet merchandise , buying my new book Rogue Nation : Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone , or my previous book Woke : A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers .
For more info on who I am , where I stand , and what I ’ m trying to do with this platform , click here .
Everyone , racist platforms excluded , has my permission to republish or use any part of this work ( or anything else I ’ ve written ) in any way they like @ @ @ @

Op-Ed by Caitlin Johnstone
During the George W Bush administration it was popular in conspiracy circles to speculate that events might be orchestrated which would allow the Bush family to complete a coup against the US Constitution and hold on to power indefinitely.
Such paranoia and suspicion of government power in the wake of the extraordinary post-9/11 advancements in Orwellian surveillance programs and unprecedented military expansionism were perfectly understandable, but predictions that the younger Bush would not cede power at the end of his second term proved incorrect. In today’s hysterical Trump-centric political environment we now see mainstream voices in mainstream outlets openly advancing the same conspiratorial speculations about the current administration, and those will prove incorrect as well.
What these paranoid presidential prognostications get wrong is not their extreme suspicion of government, but their assumption that America’s real power structures require a certain president to be in place in order to advance depraved totalitarian agendas. As anyone paying attention knows, intense suspicion of the US government is the only sane position that anyone can possibly have; the error is in assuming that there is no mechanism in place to ensure that the same agendas carry forward from one presidential administration to the next.
In a sense, the conspiracy theories about a Bush coup were actually correct: the Bush administration didn’t truly end. All of its imperialist, power-serving agendas remained in place and were expanded under the apparent oversight of the following administration. The same thing happened after the Obama administration, and the same thing–whether in 2021 or 2025–will happen after the Trump administration. The disturbing fact of the matter is that if you ignore election dates and just look at the numbers and raw data of US government behavior over the years, you can’t really tell who is president or which political party is in power at any given point in time.
The mechanism which ensures the perpetuation of the same policies from administration to administration used to be referred to by analysts as the “deep state”, back before Trump and his supporters hijacked that term and began using it to essentially mean something like “Democrats and anyone who doesn’t like Trump”. Originally the term deep state referred not to one political party, nor to some shadowy cabal of Illuminati or Satanists or reptilians, but to the simple and undeniable fact that unelected power structures exist and tend to influence America’s official elected government. It wasn’t a conspiracy theory, it was a concept used in political analysis to describe how US government agencies and plutocrats form loose alliances with each other and with official Washington to influence government policy and behavior.
It is inevitable that such a permanent second government would exist in the current iteration of the United States, if you think about it. It’s impossible to have a globe-spanning empire of the sort America now has without long-term plans spanning years or decades for securing control of world resources, undermining rivals, securing more compliant allies, and ensuring military and economic hegemony. If the US were a normal nation which simply minded its own affairs, a permanent government wouldn’t be necessary. But because it isn’t, one is.
I very seldom use the term deep state anymore, because its meaning in mainstream discourse has been completely corrupted. Now when I want to point to America’s permanent unelected power structures I usually use the word “oligarchy” or “empire”, or simply “establishment”.

This is why I haven’t been especially focused on the US presidential race, despite the Democratic primaries hitting fever pitch intensity. While I believe the race can be a useful tool for forcing establishment propagandists to expose themselves (virulent “never Trump” neocon Bret Stephens just came out in support of Trump if the Democratic nominee is anyone to the left of Pete Buttigeig, for example), the result of the 2020 election isn’t going to change a whole hell of a lot.
This might be a bit offensive to both Trump supporters and Sanders supporters, but it’s true.
Whenever I point out that the current administration has been advancing many longstanding agendas of the CIA and neoconservative war pigs–agendas like military expansionism, imprisoning Assange, regime change interventionism in Iran and Venezuela, and reigniting the Cold War–his supporters always come in saying “If he’s working for the establishment how come the establishment is working so hard to get rid of him, huh?”
Well, for starters, they’re not. Nobody who can count Senate seats believes Trump will be removed from office in the current impeachment sideshow, and everyone who understood Russiagate knew it was going to dead-end at nothing. If they really wanted Trump gone they wouldn’t be pussyfooting around with a bunch of kayfabe combat that they know will never hurt him. Obviously he wasn’t the preferred 2016 choice of certain factions within the establishment, but there are mechanisms in place to ensure that the empire can tick right along with a less-than-ideal president in the White House.
This will also hold true if Sanders miraculously makes his way through another rigged primary, and then through whatever sabotage gets thrown his way in the general election. Sure he might be able to sign a few somewhat beneficial executive orders and we probably wouldn’t see him flirting with an Iran war, but US imperialism will march on more or less unimpeded and his popular progressive domestic policies would require congress to successfully implement. At best he’d be a mild reformer who uses the bully pulpit to help spread awareness while being narrative managed on all sides by the billionaire media, and any changes he manages to squeak through which inconvenience the establishment at all will be reversed by a subsequent administration.
Obviously the establishment would rather have someone in the White House who doesn’t constantly put an ugly face on the empire by accidentally exposing its mechanics all the time as Trump does, and obviously it would rather have an incompetent oaf like Trump in office than someone who actively points out the evils of oligarchy and imperialism like Sanders. But the establishment which runs the US-centralized empire is not afraid of Trump, and it is not afraid of Sanders. It’s afraid of you.
The unelected power establishment has ways of ensuring its dominance amid the comings and goings of America’s official elected government; they are perfectly capable of dealing with one man being a less than ideal steward of the empire. What they absolutely cannot deal with, at all, is the prospect of ordinary people finally rising up and using the power of their numbers to force real change. That is what they are really fighting against when they try to sabotage populist candidates: not the candidates themselves, but populism itself.
You wouldn’t know it from reading the billionaire media, but the Yellow Vests protests in France are still going on and have remained widespread for more than a year now. This lack of coverage is partially due to the fact that establishment narrative managers are responsible for conveying the idea that the only governments whose citizens dislike them are those which haven’t been absorbed into the imperial blob like China and Iran. But it’s also because the propagandists don’t want us getting any ideas.
The reason the propagandists work so hard to manufacture the consent of the governed is because they absolutely do require that consent. If enough people decide that the status quo isn’t working for them and begin rising up to force it to change, there’s not really anything the establishment can do to stop them. Right now the only thing keeping people from rising up in this way is the fact that they’ve been successfully propagandized not to, and the propagandists intend to keep it that way.
But eyes are beginning to open. If real change is coming, it will come from there. Not from electing anyone president, but from a large-scale awakening to the reality of our situation. The only thing standing in the way is a thin layer of narrative fluff.
Thanks for reading! The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, checking out my podcast on either Youtube, soundcloud, Apple podcasts or Spotify, following me on Steemit, throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal, purchasing some of my sweet merchandise, buying my new book Rogue Nation: Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone, or my previous book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish or use any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge.


activistpost--2020-01-27--Virus Spread Exposes Fragility Of Global Markets

As the numbers of infected and dead soar exponentially this weekend , with the deadly coronavirus spreading to multiple nations and seemingly very much not “ contained , ” early trading in markets suggest , as Bloomberg macro strategist Mark Cudmore details below , that this ‘ black swan ’ event is exposing the fragilities , and vulnerability , of financial markets that long ago de-tethered from any fundamental underpinning .
USDJPY is tumbling in early trading , implying a 400-point drop in Dow futures… Markets are driven by narratives , and the virus outbreak that has now spread in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly vulnerable time , with valuations in many risk assets arguably stretched and volatility near record lows .
Without speculating how the novel coronavirus situation will evolve from here , it already has enough features to prompt severe risk aversion in the week ahead .
It has now spread globally and Chinese authorities said Sunday that the transmission is increasing .
With signs that the disease may be infectious long before symptoms show , the situation could deteriorate further in coming days as more cases emerge .
Less than two weeks ago in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a black swan event would see expensive stock markets correct lower , since there was no obvious negative catalyst on the horizon .
This outbreak has the potential to be that kind of event .
The key reason why this catalyst will matter where geopolitical scares such as Middle East conflict or North Korea missile tests do not , is that it ’ s front and center with the retail investor .
Films such as Outbreak and Contagion have shown that fear of a viral outbreak is something that plays deep in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily accessible and understandable phobia that can strike closer to home than conflicts playing out far away .
The shutdown of major parts of the Chinese economy — China is already mulling to extend the Lunar New Year holiday to prevent the spread of the virus , while restaurants and other public spaces are closed , transport is blocked , and public events canceled — at a normally prime consumption period will not only hurt domestic growth , but the knock-on impact will be felt globally .
After all , China is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus ’ s spread hit as volatility across assets had dipped to fresh lows and with many markets , from equities to credit , trading at historically extreme valuations .
Investors have made good money and now have a solid reason to take profit .
The game plan for most traders won ’ t be sophisticated .
It doesn ’ t need to be .
It ’ ll be about cutting back on risk and deleveraging .
Previously outperforming assets will now suffer even if the direct economic link isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk aversion were already evident in the markets on Friday after more cases were reported in the U.S. Stocks gave in and havens such as Treasuries , gold and the yen are suddenly in position for potential breakouts .
Technicals will matter more from here until nuances return in the market .
These could be in the form of a potential response from central banks to any signs of faltering economic growth .
EUR/JPY closed below its 4-month trendline on Friday ; it ’ s likely to make fresh 3-month lows below 119.25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close in more than six years ; the intraday peak over the same period at $ 1611.42 is the next level that could be taken out soon .
After the 10-year Treasury yield Friday fell to the lowest level since early November , traders will be eyeing last September ’ s low near 1.40 % .
While this may all sound very pessimistic , history has shown that a subsequent market recovery from such events is V-shaped and sudden .
How soon that happens , though , will depend on how long the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fears of a global pandemic subside .
It ’ s clear we ’ re still at least a few days away from that upturn in sentiment , and potentially a few weeks .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of @ @ @ @

By Tyler Durden
As the numbers of infected and dead soar exponentially this weekend, with the deadly coronavirus spreading to multiple nations and seemingly very much not “contained,” early trading in markets suggest, as Bloomberg macro strategist Mark Cudmore details below, that this ‘black swan’ event is exposing the fragilities, and vulnerability, of financial markets that long ago de-tethered from any fundamental underpinning.
USDJPY is tumbling in early trading, implying a 400-point drop in Dow futures…
And Aussie fell to six-week lows.
Markets are driven by narratives, and the virus outbreak that has now spread in four continents is finding investors at a particularly vulnerable time, with valuations in many risk assets arguably stretched and volatility near record lows.
Without speculating how the novel coronavirus situation will evolve from here, it already has enough features to prompt severe risk aversion in the week ahead. It has now spread globally and Chinese authorities said Sunday that the transmission is increasing. With signs that the disease may be infectious long before symptoms show, the situation could deteriorate further in coming days as more cases emerge.
Less than two weeks ago in this column, I argued that only a black swan event would see expensive stock markets correct lower, since there was no obvious negative catalyst on the horizon. This outbreak has the potential to be that kind of event.
The key reason why this catalyst will matter where geopolitical scares such as Middle East conflict or North Korea missile tests do not, is that it’s front and center with the retail investor. Films such as Outbreak and Contagion have shown that fear of a viral outbreak is something that plays deep in the general population. It’s an easily accessible and understandable phobia that can strike closer to home than conflicts playing out far away.
The shutdown of major parts of the Chinese economy — China is already mulling to extend the Lunar New Year holiday to prevent the spread of the virus, while restaurants and other public spaces are closed, transport is blocked, and public events canceled — at a normally prime consumption period will not only hurt domestic growth, but the knock-on impact will be felt globally. After all, China is the growth engine for many economies.
News of the virus’s spread hit as volatility across assets had dipped to fresh lows and with many markets, from equities to credit, trading at historically extreme valuations. Investors have made good money and now have a solid reason to take profit.
Fed quietly pivoting from injecting $1 trillion into the economy in crusade against global warming to injecting $1 trillion into economy in crusade against coronavirus — zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 24, 2020
The game plan for most traders won’t be sophisticated. It doesn’t need to be. It’ll be about cutting back on risk and deleveraging. Previously outperforming assets will now suffer even if the direct economic link isn’t obvious.
The signs of classic risk aversion were already evident in the markets on Friday after more cases were reported in the U.S. Stocks gave in and havens such as Treasuries, gold and the yen are suddenly in position for potential breakouts. Technicals will matter more from here until nuances return in the market. These could be in the form of a potential response from central banks to any signs of faltering economic growth.
EUR/JPY closed below its 4-month trendline on Friday; it’s likely to make fresh 3-month lows below 119.25 within days. Gold had its second-highest close in more than six years; the intraday peak over the same period at $1611.42 is the next level that could be taken out soon. After the 10-year Treasury yield Friday fell to the lowest level since early November, traders will be eyeing last September’s low near 1.40%.
While this may all sound very pessimistic, history has shown that a subsequent market recovery from such events is V-shaped and sudden. How soon that happens, though, will depend on how long the uncertainty lasts before the outbreak is contained and fears of a global pandemic subside. It’s clear we’re still at least a few days away from that upturn in sentiment, and potentially a few weeks.
Article source: Zerohedge.com
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-28--Ring Doorbell App Packed with Third-Party Trackers

Ring isn ’ t just a product that allows users to surveil their neighbors .
The company also uses it to surveil its customers .
An investigation by EFF of the Ring doorbell app for Android found it to be packed with third-party trackers sending out a plethora of customers ’ personally identifiable information ( PII ) .
Four main analytics and marketing companies were discovered to be receiving information such as the names , private IP addresses , mobile network carriers , persistent identifiers , and sensor data on the devices of paying customers .
The danger in sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analytics and tracking companies are able to combine these bits together to form a unique picture of the user ’ s device .
This cohesive whole represents a fingerprint that follows the user as they interact with other apps and use their device , in essence providing trackers the ability to spy on what a user is doing in their digital lives and when they are doing it .
All this takes place without meaningful user notification or consent and , in most cases , no way to mitigate the damage done .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and employed for precisely its stated purpose ( in most cases marketing ) , this can lead to a whole host of social ills .
Ring has exhibited a pattern of behavior that attempts to mitigate exposure to criticism and scrutiny while benefiting from the wide array of customer data available to them .
It has been able to do so by leveraging an image of the secure home , while profiting from a surveillance network which facilitates police departments ’ unprecedented access into the private lives of citizens , as we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image has cultivated a sense of trust in Ring that should be shaken by the reality of how the app functions : not only does Ring mismanage consumer data , but it also intentionally hands over that data to trackers and data miners .
Our testing , using Ring for Android version 3.21.1 , revealed PII delivery to , , and .
Facebook , via its Graph API , is alerted when the app is opened and upon device actions such as app deactivation after screen lock due to inactivity .
Information delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have a Facebook account ) includes time zone , device model , language preferences , screen resolution , and a unique identifier ( ) , which persists even when you reset the OS-level advertiser ID .
Branch , which describes itself as a “ deep linking ” platform , receives a number of unique identifiers ( , , ) as well as your device ’ s local IP address , model , screen resolution , and DPI .
AppsFlyer , a big data company focused on the mobile platform , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app launch as well as certain user actions , such as interacting with the “ Neighbors ” section of the app .
This information includes your mobile carrier , when Ring was installed and first launched , a number of unique identifiers , the app you installed from , and whether AppsFlyer tracking came preinstalled on the device .
This last bit of information is presumably to determine whether AppsFlyer tracking was included as bloatware on a low-end Android device .
Manufacturers often offset the costs of device production by selling consumer data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earners and was the subject of a recent petition to Google initiated by Privacy International and co-signed by EFF .
Most alarmingly , AppsFlyer also receives the sensors installed on your device ( on our test device , this included the magnetometer , gyroscope , and accelerometer ) and current calibration settings .
Ring gives MixPanel the most information by far .
Users ’ full names , email addresses , device information such as OS version and model , whether bluetooth is enabled , and app settings such as the number of locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are all collected and reported to MixPanel .
MixPanel is briefly mentioned in Ring ’ s list of third party services , but the extent of their data collection is not .
None of the other trackers listed in this post are mentioned at all on this page .
Ring also sends information to the Google-owned crash logging service Crashalytics .
The exact extent of data sharing with this service is yet to be determined .
All traffic we observed on the app was being sent using encrypted HTTPS .
What ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered in a way that eludes analysis , making it more difficult ( but not impossible ) for security researchers to learn of and report these serious privacy breaches .
Our dynamic analysis was performed using running on an access point to intercept and analyze HTTPS flows from an Android test device .
To remove noise generated from other apps , we installed the AFWall+ firewall app and only allowed network traffic from Ring .
generates a root x509 certificate which is to be installed in the OS-level certificate store in Android , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise secured traffic .
This led us to the initial discovery that the root certificate was not being accepted as valid , and that some form of certificate pinning was being employed by the app .
App-level certificate pinning is when an app validates the certificates of a remote server against a record of that certificate stored within the app , rather than validating against the list of root certificates within the OS .
This is often used as a security measure , to ensure that misissuance of certificates or mismanagement along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromise the integrity , confidentiality , or authenticity of HTTPS traffic .
Unfortunately , it can also prevent security researchers and users from seeing exactly what information these devices are sending , and to whom .
In the case of Ring , we initially observed all intercepted traffic upon launch being rejected , and were not able to observe any communications .
It was only through the powerful dynamic analysis framework Frida that we were able to inject code into Ring at runtime , which ensured that the certificate provided by our instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed us to inspect all HTTPS traffic sent through the app .
Ring claims to prioritize the security and privacy of its customers , yet time and again we ’ ve seen these claims not only fall short , but harm the customers and community members who engage with Ring ’ s surveillance system .
In the past , we ’ ve illuminated the mismanagement of user information which has led to data breaches , and the attempt to place the blame for such blunders at the customers ’ feet .
This goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivering sensitive data to third parties not accountable to Ring or bound by the trust placed in the customer-vendor relationship .
As we ’ ve mentioned , this includes information about your device and carrier , unique identifiers that allow these companies to track you across apps , real-time interaction data with the app , and information about your home network .
In the case of MixPanel , it even includes your name and email address .
This data is given to parties either only mentioned briefly , buried on an internal page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not listed at all .

Ring isn’t just a product that allows users to surveil their neighbors. The company also uses it to surveil its customers.
An investigation by EFF of the Ring doorbell app for Android found it to be packed with third-party trackers sending out a plethora of customers’ personally identifiable information (PII). Four main analytics and marketing companies were discovered to be receiving information such as the names, private IP addresses, mobile network carriers, persistent identifiers, and sensor data on the devices of paying customers.
The danger in sending even small bits of information is that analytics and tracking companies are able to combine these bits together to form a unique picture of the user’s device. This cohesive whole represents a fingerprint that follows the user as they interact with other apps and use their device, in essence providing trackers the ability to spy on what a user is doing in their digital lives and when they are doing it. All this takes place without meaningful user notification or consent and, in most cases, no way to mitigate the damage done. Even when this information is not misused and employed for precisely its stated purpose (in most cases marketing), this can lead to a whole host of social ills.
Ring has exhibited a pattern of behavior that attempts to mitigate exposure to criticism and scrutiny while benefiting from the wide array of customer data available to them. It has been able to do so by leveraging an image of the secure home, while profiting from a surveillance network which facilitates police departments’ unprecedented access into the private lives of citizens, as we have previously covered. For consumers, this image has cultivated a sense of trust in Ring that should be shaken by the reality of how the app functions: not only does Ring mismanage consumer data, but it also intentionally hands over that data to trackers and data miners.
Findings
Our testing, using Ring for Android version 3.21.1, revealed PII delivery to branch.io , mixpanel.com , appsflyer.com and facebook.com . Facebook, via its Graph API, is alerted when the app is opened and upon device actions such as app deactivation after screen lock due to inactivity. Information delivered to Facebook (even if you don’t have a Facebook account) includes time zone, device model, language preferences, screen resolution, and a unique identifier ( anon_id ), which persists even when you reset the OS-level advertiser ID.
Branch, which describes itself as a “deep linking” platform, receives a number of unique identifiers ( device_fingerprint_id , hardware_id , identity_id ) as well as your device’s local IP address, model, screen resolution, and DPI.
AppsFlyer, a big data company focused on the mobile platform, is given a wide array of information upon app launch as well as certain user actions, such as interacting with the “Neighbors” section of the app. This information includes your mobile carrier, when Ring was installed and first launched, a number of unique identifiers, the app you installed from, and whether AppsFlyer tracking came preinstalled on the device. This last bit of information is presumably to determine whether AppsFlyer tracking was included as bloatware on a low-end Android device. Manufacturers often offset the costs of device production by selling consumer data, a practice that disproportionately affects low-income earners and was the subject of a recent petition to Google initiated by Privacy International and co-signed by EFF.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Most alarmingly, AppsFlyer also receives the sensors installed on your device (on our test device, this included the magnetometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer) and current calibration settings.
Ring gives MixPanel the most information by far. Users’ full names, email addresses, device information such as OS version and model, whether bluetooth is enabled, and app settings such as the number of locations a user has Ring devices installed in, are all collected and reported to MixPanel. MixPanel is briefly mentioned in Ring’s list of third party services, but the extent of their data collection is not. None of the other trackers listed in this post are mentioned at all on this page.
Ring also sends information to the Google-owned crash logging service Crashalytics. The exact extent of data sharing with this service is yet to be determined.
Data delivered to api.branch.io
Data delivered to api.mixpanel.com
Data delivered to graph.facebook.com
Data delivered to t.appsflyer.com
Methodology
All traffic we observed on the app was being sent using encrypted HTTPS. What’s more, the encrypted information was delivered in a way that eludes analysis, making it more difficult (but not impossible) for security researchers to learn of and report these serious privacy breaches.
Our dynamic analysis was performed using mitmproxy running on an access point to intercept and analyze HTTPS flows from an Android test device. To remove noise generated from other apps, we installed the AFWall+ firewall app and only allowed network traffic from Ring. mitmproxy generates a root x509 certificate which is to be installed in the OS-level certificate store in Android, allowing active interception to take place on otherwise secured traffic. This led us to the initial discovery that the root certificate was not being accepted as valid, and that some form of certificate pinning was being employed by the app.
App-level certificate pinning is when an app validates the certificates of a remote server against a record of that certificate stored within the app, rather than validating against the list of root certificates within the OS. This is often used as a security measure, to ensure that misissuance of certificates or mismanagement along the chain of trust in PKI does not compromise the integrity, confidentiality, or authenticity of HTTPS traffic. Unfortunately, it can also prevent security researchers and users from seeing exactly what information these devices are sending, and to whom. In the case of Ring, we initially observed all intercepted traffic upon launch being rejected, and were not able to observe any communications.
mitmproxy screen displaying results of certificate pinning
It was only through the powerful dynamic analysis framework Frida that we were able to inject code into Ring at runtime, which ensured that the certificate provided by our mitmproxy instance would be accepted as valid. This allowed us to inspect all HTTPS traffic sent through the app.
Conclusion
Ring claims to prioritize the security and privacy of its customers, yet time and again we’ve seen these claims not only fall short, but harm the customers and community members who engage with Ring’s surveillance system. In the past, we’ve illuminated the mismanagement of user information which has led to data breaches, and the attempt to place the blame for such blunders at the customers’ feet.
This goes a step beyond that, by simply delivering sensitive data to third parties not accountable to Ring or bound by the trust placed in the customer-vendor relationship. As we’ve mentioned, this includes information about your device and carrier, unique identifiers that allow these companies to track you across apps, real-time interaction data with the app, and information about your home network. In the case of MixPanel, it even includes your name and email address. This data is given to parties either only mentioned briefly, buried on an internal page users are unlikely to ever see, or not listed at all.


activistpost--2020-01-28--The US Dropped a Record-Breaking Number of Bombs on Afghanistan in 2019

The U.S. military dropped a record-breaking number of bombs on Afghanistan in 2019 , the Air Force announced Tuesday , drawing criticism from observers who wondered what purpose the continued barrage of the war-torn country after over 18 years of war could serve .
“ Isn ’ t this an admission of colossal failure ?
” tweeted CounterPunch editor Jeffrey St. Clair .
“ Who are we bombing ?
Why ?
What will it yield but more war ?
” The munitions data ( pdf ) was published Monday by U.S. Air Forces Central Command .
Air Force jets dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest number since records began in 2006—beating out 2018 .
Stars and Stripes explained how the bombing affects the Afghan people : The AFCENT figures include bomb and missile strikes , 105 mm shells fired by AC-130 gunships and strafing fire from 20 mm cannons and up .
Airstrikes , predominantly conducted by U.S. forces , caused 579 of the 1,149 civilian war fatalities attributed to pro-government forces in Afghanistan during the first nine months of 2019 , according to the most recent United Nations data .
As the war in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of accountability with the American people from President Donald Trump ’ s administration .
Two members of the president ’ s Cabinet , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper , refused to attend a Congressional hearing on the war Tuesday morning , drawing criticism from Subcommittee on National Security chairman Rep. Stephen Lynch ( D-Mass. )
.
Lynch said in his remarks that the president ’ s strategy in the region is at best incoherent .
“ Despite repeated invitations , the Department of State and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to testify today , ” said Lynch .
“ That ’ s very disappointing , because I ’ m concerned that rather than implementing a coherent Afghanistan strategy , U.S. policy in the region is instead being driven by the latest impulse of the commander-in-chief.
” U.S. airstrikes killed 15 civilians earlier in January , Stars and Stripes reported last week .
Afghanistan ’ s Independent Human Rights Commission , which reported the strike in a report , said the attack was “ a clear violation of human rights.
” Subscribe to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Eoin Higgins
The U.S. military dropped a record-breaking number of bombs on Afghanistan in 2019, the Air Force announced Tuesday, drawing criticism from observers who wondered what purpose the continued barrage of the war-torn country after over 18 years of war could serve.
“Isn’t this an admission of colossal failure?” tweeted CounterPunch editor Jeffrey St. Clair. “Who are we bombing? Why? What will it yield but more war?”
18 years after the Bush adm went to war in Afghanistan against a terrorist group financed by the Saudis, the US is now “dropping” more bombs than ever. Isn’t this an admission of colossal failure? Who are we bombing? Why? What will it yield but more war?https://t.co/eIMvlGs9OS — Jeffrey St. Clair (@JSCCounterPunch) January 27, 2020
The munitions data (pdf) was published Monday by U.S. Air Forces Central Command. Air Force jets dropped 7,423 bombs on Afghanistan in 2019, the highest number since records began in 2006—beating out 2018.
Stars and Stripes explained how the bombing affects the Afghan people:
The AFCENT figures include bomb and missile strikes, 105 mm shells fired by AC-130 gunships and strafing fire from 20 mm cannons and up. Airstrikes, predominantly conducted by U.S. forces, caused 579 of the 1,149 civilian war fatalities attributed to pro-government forces in Afghanistan during the first nine months of 2019, according to the most recent United Nations data.
As the war in Afghanistan continues, so too does a lack of accountability with the American people from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Two members of the president’s Cabinet, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, refused to attend a Congressional hearing on the war Tuesday morning, drawing criticism from Subcommittee on National Security chairman Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.).
Lynch said in his remarks that the president’s strategy in the region is at best incoherent.
“Despite repeated invitations, the Department of State and the Department of Defense refused to make witnesses available to testify today,” said Lynch. “That’s very disappointing, because I’m concerned that rather than implementing a coherent Afghanistan strategy, U.S. policy in the region is instead being driven by the latest impulse of the commander-in-chief.”
U.S. airstrikes killed 15 civilians earlier in January, Stars and Stripes reported last week.
Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission, which reported the strike in a report, said the attack was “a clear violation of human rights.”
By Eoin Higgins | CommonDreams.org | Creative Commons
Article source: The Mind Unleashed
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-28--Harvard Chemistry Chair & Two Chinese Nationals Arrested For Lying About China Ties, Smuggling “Biol

Harvard Chemistry Chair & Two Chinese Nationals Arrested For Lying About China Ties, Smuggling “Biological Material”

Will this Harvard Chemistry Department Head be remembered as the Aldrich Ames of the modern-day ‘ Cold War ’ ?
In a shocking revelation made Tuesday afternoon – a revelation that will almost certainly rattle the US-China relationship at an already fragile time – a federal court unsealed indictments against Harvard professor and Chemistry Department Head Charles Lieber , along with two Chinese nationals .
One is a Boston University researcher who was once a lieutenant in the People ’ s Liberation Army , according to prosecutors , and the second was a cancer researcher who tried to smuggle 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – allegedly .
Lieber has been arrested , though it ’ s not clear if he ’ s still in custody .
Though the official charge was lying to investigators , Lieber ’ s actions look like an unvarnished attempt at espionage , complete with an extremely seductive monetary reward .
Lieber was reportedly paid $ 50,000 a month by Wuhan University of Technology for participating in its “ Thousand Talents ” program , and was given more than $ 1.5 million to establish a lab and do research at Wuhan University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston , according to WSJ .
According to prosecutors , Lieber deliberately lied to defense department officials about his “ foreign research collaborations.
” When Defense Department investigators asked Mr. Lieber in 2018 about his foreign research collaborations , he told them he had never been asked to participate in the Thousand Talents Program , the complaint said .
But Mr. Lieber had signed such a talent contract with Wuhan University in 2012 , the complaint said .
Profit outside the rigged system !
Protect yourself from tyranny and economic collapse .
Learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Trends & Strategies for Maximum Freedom NIH also asked Harvard about Mr. Lieber ’ s affiliation with Wuhan that same year , the complaint said .
After interviewing Mr. Lieber , Harvard told NIH in January 2019 that Mr. Lieber had no formal affiliation with Wuhan after 2012 and that he had never participated in the Thousand Talents Program , even though Mr. Lieber had a formal relationship with the university through 2017 , the complaint said .
In conjunction with the program , Mr. Lieber became a “ strategic scientist ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the complaint .
For “ significant periods ” from 2012 to 2017 , his contract called for a $ 50,000 a month salary on top of $ 150,000 in living expenses paid by WUT , it said .
He was also awarded more than $ 1.5 million by WUT and the Chinese government to set up a research lab , it said .
“ The charges brought by the U.S. government against Professor Lieber are extremely serious , ” a Harvard spokesman said Tuesday .
“ Harvard is cooperating with federal authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and is initiating its own review of the alleged misconduct .
Professor Lieber has been placed on indefinite administrative leave .
”

By Tyler Durden
Will this Harvard Chemistry Department Head be remembered as the Aldrich Ames of the modern-day ‘Cold War’?
In a shocking revelation made Tuesday afternoon – a revelation that will almost certainly rattle the US-China relationship at an already fragile time – a federal court unsealed indictments against Harvard professor and Chemistry Department Head Charles Lieber, along with two Chinese nationals. One is a Boston University researcher who was once a lieutenant in the People’s Liberation Army, according to prosecutors, and the second was a cancer researcher who tried to smuggle 21 vials of biological materials in his sock – allegedly. Lieber has been arrested, though it’s not clear if he’s still in custody.
Though the official charge was lying to investigators, Lieber’s actions look like an unvarnished attempt at espionage, complete with an extremely seductive monetary reward.
Lieber was reportedly paid $50,000 a month by Wuhan University of Technology for participating in its “Thousand Talents” program, and was given more than $1.5 million to establish a lab and do research at Wuhan University of Technology, according to federal prosecutors in Boston, according to WSJ.
According to prosecutors, Lieber deliberately lied to defense department officials about his “foreign research collaborations.”


activistpost--2020-01-28--Virginia Congress Continues Gun Control Frenzy with 9 More Bills, Ignores Massive Protest

Despite a massive and peaceful turnout on the Lobby Day rally on January 20th , the Virginia State Congress remained totally unfazed by what the people wanted and proceeded to advance numerous unconstitutional gun laws over the following week .
While everyone has been focused on the Wuhan coronavirus , state lawmakers have been quietly eroding gun rights .
Proving they don ’ t care at all about the opinions of the people of Virginia , the state ’ s Senate passed a “ red flag ” gun law only two days later .
Here ’ s the summary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any attorney for the Commonwealth or any law-enforcement officer may apply to a general district court , circuit court , or juvenile and domestic relations district court judge or magistrate for an emergency substantial risk order to prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injury to himself or others from purchasing , possessing , or transporting a firearm .
If an emergency substantial risk order is issued , a judge or magistrate may issue a search warrant to remove firearms from such person .
An emergency substantial risk order shall expire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order .
The bill requires a court hearing in the circuit court for the jurisdiction where the order was issued within 14 days from issuance of an emergency substantial risk order to determine whether a substantial risk order should be issued .
Seized firearms shall be retained by a law-enforcement agency for the duration of an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order or , for a substantial risk order and with court approval , may be transferred to a third party 21 years of age or older chosen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bill allows the complainant of the original warrant to file a motion for a hearing to extend the substantial risk order prior to its expiration .
The court may extend the substantial risk order for a period not longer than 180 days .
The bill provides that persons who are subject to a substantial risk order , until such order has been dissolved by a court , are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor for purchasing , possessing , or transporting a firearm ; are disqualified from having a concealed handgun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a licensed firearms dealer .
The bill also provides that a person who transfers a firearm to a person he knows has been served with a warrant or who is the subject of a substantial risk order is guilty of a Class 4 felony .
The bill creates a computerized substantial risk order registry for the entry of orders issued pursuant to provisions in the bill .
( source ) Of course , we all know the dangers of red flag gun laws .
Anyone can swear out a complaint against a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t want his victim to be able to protect herself or himself .
Add to that , numerous law-abiding citizens have been killed when police burst in to serve the warrant and seize the gun owner ’ s firearms .
But that ’ s not all that Virginia has in store for gun owners .
Also two days after the rally of gun owners , the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a proposed new law that would make it more difficult for Virginians to get a concealed carry permit in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it more difficult for rural residents to take the required training and it makes it more expensive for poverty-stricken gun owners .
On Friday the House advanced the following bills to the Senate for further approval .
HB2 would criminalize the private transfer of firearms in the Commonwealth .
Unlike SB70 , which was passed by the Senate , HB2 would criminalize almost all firearm transfers – not just sales .
Under this extreme legislation , even lending a brother your rifle for a deer hunt or letting your daughter borrow a handgun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a felony conviction and up to 5 years in jail .
Additionally , the recipient could face up to a full year of incarceration .
HB674 would create a “ red flag ” gun confiscation procedure that is similar to that created by SB240 .
Just like the senate bill , HB674 would empower the government to strip an individual ’ s constitutional right to keep and bear arms and seize their firearms pursuant to an ex parte order .
However , whereas SB240 would require a commonwealth ’ s attorney or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court , HB674 provides even less safeguards – allowing a single law enforcement officer to petition for a confiscation order .
HB812 would ration the right to keep and bear arms by limiting Virginians to one handgun purchase per 30-day period .
Unlike SB35 , which has passed the full Senate , HB812 does not provide an exemption to this restriction for CHP holders .
From 1993 to 2012 , Virginia had a “ one-handgun-a-month ” law that rationed the number of handguns law-abiding gun owners could purchase to one a month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilder and other gun control advocates sold the handgun rationing measure as a way to curb gun trafficking from Virginia to more restrictive Northeast states , particularly New York .
HB812 comes along after New York City billionaire and gun control financier Michael Bloomberg spent an exorbitant sum in the 2019 election cycle .
According to ATF Trace data , there were fewer firearms traced to Virginia in the three years after the law was repealed than in the three years prior to repeal .
HB9 would re-victimize burglary and robbery victims by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report the theft of a firearm to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovering the theft .
These victims would be fined up to $ 250 .
In the aftermath of a burglary , victims are occupied with a host of concerns .
The first and foremost concern is the physical safety and well-being of themselves and their loved ones .
To place an additional burden on crime victims in their moment of despair is the ruthless act of a callous state that exhibits no regard for the hardship victims face as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would eliminate Virginia ’ s state firearms preemption law .
Current law ensures that those living and traveling throughout Virginia are subject to the same predictable state statutes wherever they are in the Commonwealth .
With this regimen , law-abiding gun owners can move about the state without fear of being ensnared by a confusing patchwork of disparate local ordinances .
Unable to predict or comprehend the contours of the various ordinances in Virginia ’ s 95 counties and 38 independent cities , CHP holders would be forced to forego their Right-to-Carry for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or complicated local law .
HB1004 would prohibit those subject to a §19.2-152.10 protective order from possessing firearms .
Those subject to a §19.2-152.10 protective order are already prohibited from purchasing or transporting firearms while the order is in effect .
Unlike other protective orders that trigger a firearm possession prohibition , a petitioner for a §19.2-152.10 protective order does not need to bear any relation to the respondent .
The absence of a relationship requirement opens the §19.2-152.10 protective order procedure up to abuse .
Verbal altercations between co-workers , neighbors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perceived , or claimed to perceive , the other as making a “ threat ” could result in the extinguishment of a person ’ s Second Amendment rights and the forfeiture of their firearms .
HB1083 severely restricts parental decisions about firearms in the home by making it a Class 6 felony to leave an unlocked and loaded gun in the home with a child or teenager under the age of 18 .
Current law only applies this restriction to children under the age of 14 and provides that the punishment for such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This law is unnecessary as Virginia already has a child abuse and neglect statute that provides felony penalties for parents who engage in dangerous conduct .
( source ) Is it any wonder that parts of Virginia are considering secession from the state ?
The protest meant nothing in the eyes of Virginia lawmakers .
The advancement of these gun laws is a slap in the face to every gun owner who has protested in person , written or emailed his or her members of Congress , and attended local meetings .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t care what Virginians have to say about the laws they pass .
It underlines their blithe dismissal of the Sanctuary municipalities and of the massive peaceful protest that even saw protesters cleaning up the area before they left .
The protest may have meant nothing to lawmakers , but to gun owners , it meant everything .
It means that people in Virginia will stand up for their rights .
It means they will not back down .
It means they ’ re willing to put themselves on the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state that still has a flag that says “ Sic Semper Tyrannis.
” But as for the state government ?
You know , the one purchased by presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg ?
This is not a government that represents the people of Virginia .
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging , globe-trotting blogger who writes about current events , preparedness , frugality , voluntaryism , and the pursuit of liberty on her website , The Organic Prepper , where this article first appeared .
She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her aggregate site , PreppersDailyNews.com .
Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company .
You can find her on Facebook , Pinterest , and Twitter .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of @ @ @ @

By Daisy Luther
Despite a massive and peaceful turnout on the Lobby Day rally on January 20th, the Virginia State Congress remained totally unfazed by what the people wanted and proceeded to advance numerous unconstitutional gun laws over the following week.
While everyone has been focused on the Wuhan coronavirus, state lawmakers have been quietly eroding gun rights.
“Red Flag” gun law passed
Proving they don’t care at all about the opinions of the people of Virginia, the state’s Senate passed a “red flag” gun law only two days later. Here’s the summary of SB240.
Creates a procedure by which any attorney for the Commonwealth or any law-enforcement officer may apply to a general district court, circuit court, or juvenile and domestic relations district court judge or magistrate for an emergency substantial risk order to prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injury to himself or others from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm. If an emergency substantial risk order is issued, a judge or magistrate may issue a search warrant to remove firearms from such person. An emergency substantial risk order shall expire on the fourteenth day following issuance of the order. The bill requires a court hearing in the circuit court for the jurisdiction where the order was issued within 14 days from issuance of an emergency substantial risk order to determine whether a substantial risk order should be issued. Seized firearms shall be retained by a law-enforcement agency for the duration of an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order or, for a substantial risk order and with court approval, may be transferred to a third party 21 years of age or older chosen by the person from whom they were seized. The bill allows the complainant of the original warrant to file a motion for a hearing to extend the substantial risk order prior to its expiration. The court may extend the substantial risk order for a period not longer than 180 days. The bill provides that persons who are subject to a substantial risk order, until such order has been dissolved by a court, are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor for purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm; are disqualified from having a concealed handgun permit; and may not be employed by a licensed firearms dealer. The bill also provides that a person who transfers a firearm to a person he knows has been served with a warrant or who is the subject of a substantial risk order is guilty of a Class 4 felony. The bill creates a computerized substantial risk order registry for the entry of orders issued pursuant to provisions in the bill. (source)
Of course, we all know the dangers of red flag gun laws. Anyone can swear out a complaint against a gun owner – including an abuser who doesn’t want his victim to be able to protect herself or himself. Add to that, numerous law-abiding citizens have been killed when police burst in to serve the warrant and seize the gun owner’s firearms.
But that’s not all that Virginia has in store for gun owners.
Also two days after the rally of gun owners, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a proposed new law that would make it more difficult for Virginians to get a concealed carry permit in the form of SB263.
Concealed handgun permits; demonstration of competence. Removes the option for concealed handgun permit applicants to demonstrate competence with a handgun by completing an electronic, video, or online course conducted by a state-certified or National Rifle Association-certified firearms instructor. The bill does not affect any in-person means of satisfying the requirement to demonstrate competence with a handgun under current law. (source)
Obviously, this makes it more difficult for rural residents to take the required training and it makes it more expensive for poverty-stricken gun owners.
On Friday the House advanced the following bills to the Senate for further approval.
HB2 would criminalize the private transfer of firearms in the Commonwealth. Unlike SB70, which was passed by the Senate, HB2 would criminalize almost all firearm transfers – not just sales. Under this extreme legislation, even lending a brother your rifle for a deer hunt or letting your daughter borrow a handgun for self-defense could land otherwise law-abiding Virginians with a felony conviction and up to 5 years in jail. Additionally, the recipient could face up to a full year of incarceration. HB674 would create a “red flag” gun confiscation procedure that is similar to that created by SB240. Just like the senate bill, HB674 would empower the government to strip an individual’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms and seize their firearms pursuant to an ex parte order. However, whereas SB240 would require a commonwealth’s attorney or two law enforcement officer to petition the court, HB674 provides even less safeguards – allowing a single law enforcement officer to petition for a confiscation order. HB812 would ration the right to keep and bear arms by limiting Virginians to one handgun purchase per 30-day period. Unlike SB35, which has passed the full Senate, HB812 does not provide an exemption to this restriction for CHP holders. From 1993 to 2012, Virginia had a “one-handgun-a-month” law that rationed the number of handguns law-abiding gun owners could purchase to one a month. In 1993, Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and other gun control advocates sold the handgun rationing measure as a way to curb gun trafficking from Virginia to more restrictive Northeast states, particularly New York. HB812 comes along after New York City billionaire and gun control financier Michael Bloomberg spent an exorbitant sum in the 2019 election cycle. According to ATF Trace data, there were fewer firearms traced to Virginia in the three years after the law was repealed than in the three years prior to repeal. HB9 would re-victimize burglary and robbery victims by penalizing a crime victim who fails to report the theft of a firearm to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovering the theft. These victims would be fined up to $250. In the aftermath of a burglary, victims are occupied with a host of concerns. The first and foremost concern is the physical safety and well-being of themselves and their loved ones. To place an additional burden on crime victims in their moment of despair is the ruthless act of a callous state that exhibits no regard for the hardship victims face as they put their lives back together. HB412 would eliminate Virginia’s state firearms preemption law. Current law ensures that those living and traveling throughout Virginia are subject to the same predictable state statutes wherever they are in the Commonwealth. With this regimen, law-abiding gun owners can move about the state without fear of being ensnared by a confusing patchwork of disparate local ordinances. Unable to predict or comprehend the contours of the various ordinances in Virginia’s 95 counties and 38 independent cities, CHP holders would be forced to forego their Right-to-Carry for fear of running afoul of an obscure or complicated local law. HB1004 would prohibit those subject to a §19.2-152.10 protective order from possessing firearms. Those subject to a §19.2-152.10 protective order are already prohibited from purchasing or transporting firearms while the order is in effect. Unlike other protective orders that trigger a firearm possession prohibition, a petitioner for a §19.2-152.10 protective order does not need to bear any relation to the respondent. The absence of a relationship requirement opens the §19.2-152.10 protective order procedure up to abuse. Verbal altercations between co-workers, neighbors, or less formal acquaintances where one party perceived, or claimed to perceive, the other as making a “threat” could result in the extinguishment of a person’s Second Amendment rights and the forfeiture of their firearms. HB1083 severely restricts parental decisions about firearms in the home by making it a Class 6 felony to leave an unlocked and loaded gun in the home with a child or teenager under the age of 18. Current law only applies this restriction to children under the age of 14 and provides that the punishment for such conduct is a Class 3 misdemeanor. This law is unnecessary as Virginia already has a child abuse and neglect statute that provides felony penalties for parents who engage in dangerous conduct. (source)
Is it any wonder that parts of Virginia are considering secession from the state?
The protest meant nothing in the eyes of Virginia lawmakers.
The advancement of these gun laws is a slap in the face to every gun owner who has protested in person, written or emailed his or her members of Congress, and attended local meetings.
It shows that the people currently in office don’t care what Virginians have to say about the laws they pass. It underlines their blithe dismissal of the Sanctuary municipalities and of the massive peaceful protest that even saw protesters cleaning up the area before they left.
The protest may have meant nothing to lawmakers, but to gun owners, it meant everything. It means that people in Virginia will stand up for their rights. It means they will not back down. It means they’re willing to put themselves on the line to protect the 2nd Amendment in a state that still has a flag that says “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”
But as for the state government? You know, the one purchased by presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg?
This is not a government that represents the people of Virginia.
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, globe-trotting blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper, where this article first appeared. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-28--Antivirus Software Harvests “Every Search, Every Click, Every Buy, On Every Site”

Note : This article has been updated to reflect a comment from Sephora stating that “ Sephora is not a client and has not worked with Avast/Jumpshot.
” – Activist Post Editor Data is the new oil of the 21st century and Technocrats are the new roughnecks .
In this case , the software is free but your data is priceless and wantonly harvested without your consent or knowledge .
⁃ TN Editor An antivirus program used by hundreds of millions of people around the world is selling highly sensitive web browsing data to many of the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Motherboard and PCMag has found .
Our report relies on leaked user data , contracts , and other company documents that show the sale of this data is both highly sensitive and is in many cases supposed to remain confidential between the company selling the data and the clients purchasing it .
The documents , from a subsidiary of the antivirus giant Avast called Jumpshot , shine new light on the secretive sale and supply chain of peoples ’ internet browsing histories .
They show that the Avast antivirus program installed on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that Jumpshot repackages it into various different products that are then sold to many of the largest companies in the world .
Some past , present , and potential clients include Google , Yelp , Microsoft , McKinsey , Pepsi , Home Depot , Condé Nast , Intuit , and many others .
Some clients paid millions of dollars for products that include a so-called “ All Clicks Feed , ” which can track user behavior , clicks , and movement across websites in highly precise detail .
Avast claims to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , and Jumpshot says it has data from 100 million devices .
Avast collects data from users that opt-in and then provides that to Jumpshot , but multiple Avast users told Motherboard they were not aware Avast sold browsing data , raising questions about how informed that consent is .
The data obtained by Motherboard and PCMag includes Google searches , lookups of locations and GPS coordinates on Google Maps , people visiting companies ’ LinkedIn pages , particular YouTube videos , and people visiting porn websites .
It is possible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and time the anonymized user visited YouPorn and PornHub , and in some cases what search term they entered into the porn site and which specific video they watched .
Although the data does not include personal information such as users ’ names , it still contains a wealth of specific browsing data , and experts say it could be possible to deanonymize certain users .
In a press release from July , Jumpshot claims to be “ the only company that unlocks walled garden data ” and seeks to “ provide marketers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer journey.
” Jumpshot has previously discussed some of its clients publicly .
But other companies mentioned in Jumpshot documents include Expedia , IBM , Intuit , which makes TurboTax , Loreal , and Home Depot .
Employees are instructed not to talk publicly about Jumpshot ’ s relationships with these companies .
“ It ’ s very granular , and it ’ s great data for these companies , because it ’ s down to the device level with a timestamp , ” the source said , referring to the specificity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Motherboard granted the source anonymity to speak more candidly about Jumpshot ’ s processes .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Joseph Cox, Vice
Note: This article has been updated to reflect a comment from Sephora stating that “Sephora is not a client and has not worked with Avast/Jumpshot.” – Activist Post Editor
Data is the new oil of the 21st century and Technocrats are the new roughnecks. In this case, the software is free but your data is priceless and wantonly harvested without your consent or knowledge. ⁃ TN Editor
An antivirus program used by hundreds of millions of people around the world is selling highly sensitive web browsing data to many of the world’s biggest companies, a joint investigation by Motherboard and PCMag has found. Our report relies on leaked user data, contracts, and other company documents that show the sale of this data is both highly sensitive and is in many cases supposed to remain confidential between the company selling the data and the clients purchasing it.
The documents, from a subsidiary of the antivirus giant Avast called Jumpshot, shine new light on the secretive sale and supply chain of peoples’ internet browsing histories. They show that the Avast antivirus program installed on a person’s computer collects data, and that Jumpshot repackages it into various different products that are then sold to many of the largest companies in the world. Some past, present, and potential clients include Google, Yelp, Microsoft, McKinsey, Pepsi, Home Depot, Condé Nast, Intuit, and many others. Some clients paid millions of dollars for products that include a so-called “All Clicks Feed,” which can track user behavior, clicks, and movement across websites in highly precise detail.
Avast claims to have more than 435 million active users per month, and Jumpshot says it has data from 100 million devices. Avast collects data from users that opt-in and then provides that to Jumpshot, but multiple Avast users told Motherboard they were not aware Avast sold browsing data, raising questions about how informed that consent is.
The data obtained by Motherboard and PCMag includes Google searches, lookups of locations and GPS coordinates on Google Maps, people visiting companies’ LinkedIn pages, particular YouTube videos, and people visiting porn websites. It is possible to determine from the collected data what date and time the anonymized user visited YouPorn and PornHub, and in some cases what search term they entered into the porn site and which specific video they watched.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Although the data does not include personal information such as users’ names, it still contains a wealth of specific browsing data, and experts say it could be possible to deanonymize certain users.
In a press release from July, Jumpshot claims to be “the only company that unlocks walled garden data” and seeks to “provide marketers with deeper visibility into the entire online customer journey.” Jumpshot has previously discussed some of its clients publicly. But other companies mentioned in Jumpshot documents include Expedia, IBM, Intuit, which makes TurboTax, Loreal, and Home Depot. Employees are instructed not to talk publicly about Jumpshot’s relationships with these companies.
“It’s very granular, and it’s great data for these companies, because it’s down to the device level with a timestamp,” the source said, referring to the specificity and sensitivity of the data being sold. Motherboard granted the source anonymity to speak more candidly about Jumpshot’s processes.
Read full story here…
Article source: Technocracy.News
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.