activistpost--2020-11-10--Sound Money Scholarship Winners Announced — 6 Outstanding Students Earn Thousands in Tuition Assista

Sound Money Scholarship Winners Announced — 6 Outstanding Students Earn Thousands in Tuition Assistance

Eagle , Idaho ( November 6 , 2020 ) – Six outstanding students beat out more than 100 of their high-school and college peers in making the best case for sound money through an international , gold-backed scholarship competition… …and the winners walked away with a total of $ 7,500 in scholarship awards for their exceptional , thought-provoking essays .
For the fifth-straight year , Money Metals Exchange , the national precious-metals dealer ranked “ Best in the USA , ” has teamed up with the Sound Money Defense League to offer the first gold-backed scholarship of the modern era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ounces of physical gold to reward over time those exemplary students who display a thorough understanding of economics , monetary policy , and sound money .
The 2020 Sound Money Scholarship winners are as follows : Upon the selection of these top six students , the People ’ s Choice Award portion of the contest begins .
The People ’ s Choice Award goes to the student whose essay attracts the most page views and interest on social media ( shares , likes , retweets , etc.
, on Facebook and Twitter ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense League and Money Metals Exchange leaders , the following blue-ribbon panel of judges selected the finalists : Since its creation in 2016 , the Sound Money Scholarship program has attracted hundreds of applicants representing more than 275 different high schools , colleges , institutes , and universities across more than 40 states , 5 countries , and 4 continents .
“ Students everywhere are waking up to the ongoing and deliberate devaluation of the Federal Reserve Note ( today mislabeled as the ‘ dollar ’ ) and the immoral , central-bank policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirees especially , ” said Stefan Gleason , president of Money Metals Exchange .
“ Our scholarship gives students the opportunity to display their understanding of economics while lessening the burden of the significantly inflated costs associated with attending college , ” said Jp Cortez , policy director of the Sound Money Defense League .
The deadline to submit applications for consideration next year is October 31 , 2021 .
For more information , visit moneymetals.com/scholarship or email [ email protected ] .
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By Jp Cortez
Eagle, Idaho (November 6, 2020) – Six outstanding students beat out more than 100 of their high-school and college peers in making the best case for sound money through an international, gold-backed scholarship competition…
…and the winners walked away with a total of $7,500 in scholarship awards for their exceptional, thought-provoking essays.
For the fifth-straight year, Money Metals Exchange, the national precious-metals dealer ranked “Best in the USA,” has teamed up with the Sound Money Defense League to offer the first gold-backed scholarship of the modern era.
These groups have set aside 100 ounces of physical gold to reward over time those exemplary students who display a thorough understanding of economics, monetary policy, and sound money.
The 2020 Sound Money Scholarship winners are as follows:
Undergraduate Winners:
-First place: Samuel Peterson, 12th grade, The Villages Charter High School
-Second place: Isaac Deak, Liberty University
-Third place: Samuel Camacho, Louisiana State University
Graduate Winners:
-First place: Nikhil Sridhar, George Mason University
-Second place: Matthew Silver, James Madison University
-Third place: David Bates, Brigham Young University
Upon the selection of these top six students, the People’s Choice Award portion of the contest begins. The People’s Choice Award goes to the student whose essay attracts the most page views and interest on social media (shares, likes, retweets, etc., on Facebook and Twitter).
With the assistance of Sound Money Defense League and Money Metals Exchange leaders, the following blue-ribbon panel of judges selected the finalists:
Per Bylund , Records-Johnston professor of free enterprise, Oklahoma State University
, Records-Johnston professor of free enterprise, Oklahoma State University Mike Maharrey , National Communications Director, Tenth Amendment Center
, National Communications Director, Tenth Amendment Center Larry Reed, President Emeritus, Foundation for Economic Education
Since its creation in 2016, the Sound Money Scholarship program has attracted hundreds of applicants representing more than 275 different high schools, colleges, institutes, and universities across more than 40 states, 5 countries, and 4 continents.
“Students everywhere are waking up to the ongoing and deliberate devaluation of the Federal Reserve Note (today mislabeled as the ‘dollar’) and the immoral, central-bank policy to punish savers, wage-earners, and retirees especially,” said Stefan Gleason, president of Money Metals Exchange.
“Our scholarship gives students the opportunity to display their understanding of economics while lessening the burden of the significantly inflated costs associated with attending college,” said Jp Cortez, policy director of the Sound Money Defense League.
The deadline to submit applications for consideration next year is October 31, 2021. For more information, visit moneymetals.com/scholarship or email scholarship@moneymetals.com.
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activistpost--2020-11-10--The Privacy Implications Of Using Police Drones To Respond to 911 Calls

During the Trump administration , we have seen police lying about public surveillance become an art form .
A perfect example of this , is police drone acquisitions and their justification for using them .
Last year , when I wrote an article exposing how the Memorial Villages Police Department ( PD ) in Texas misrepresented how they planned to use drones and later used them to identify suspicious people I thought to myself ; this is probably just the beginning .
That same story is being repeated , except this time it is taking place in Georgia .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they also promised the public that they would be used exclusively for “ search and rescue operations , crowd control at festivals and events , and to assist with criminal investigations.
” But a portent of what was to come was revealed in The Daily Leader ‘ s article titled “ Police Drone Usage Takes Off.
” Sgt .
Jonathan Alford , who is currently the only officer with a license to fly a drone , said the department could not “ divulge any information regarding the Brookhaven Police Department ’ s UAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the UAS.
” “ Dennis Lott , who runs Hinds Community College ’ s Unmanned Aerial Systems program , said all law enforcement agencies will use drone aircraft in daily operations in the near future.
” The article went on to quote the usual privacy concerns about police drones but it also left the public with an interesting admission from Sgt .
Alford who said , “ the drone can be used to find someone suspected of a crime.
” That comment should have been a red flag to Georgia residents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of keeping their word to only use drones in dire emergencies .
Become a Natural Blaze Patron and Support Health Freedom HERE .
Which brings us to this year .
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , revealed that the Brookhaven PD has no problems using COVID-19 as an excuse to justify using drones to respond to 911 calls .
Brookhaven PD will become only the second city in America to use drones to respond to 911 calls .
There is no justification for police departments to use drones to respond to 911 calls .
Period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down our streets or police drones flying over our homes , the privacy implications remain the same .
This video illustrates why it doesn ’ t matter who uses drones on public streets ; everyone ’ s privacy will be affected by their usage .
If you are still unsure about how police drones could threaten you and your family ’ s privacy , I leave you with this disturbing news : North Dakota is working with L3Harris Technologies and Thales to put their surveillance software on drones .
A recent Grand Forks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a game-changer .
If you are unfamiliar with these companies , L3Harris is the go-to-replacement for police cell site interception .
When cities and towns ban police departments from using Stingray technology they just switch companies to avoid breaking the law .
Thales is well-known in the United Kingdom for its facial recognition technology .
Drones flying down our streets and over our homes equipped with IMSI catchers and facial recognition technology means no one will be safe from Big Brother ’ s prying eyes .
Last week ’ s story about law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the “ National Capital Region Facial Recognition Investigative Leads System ” to identify activists and protesters shows us why everyone should be worried about putting this technology on police drones .
The future of our privacy is being written by self-serving corporate interests and police departments , who are not concerned about our privacy .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By MassPrivateI
During the Trump administration, we have seen police lying about public surveillance become an art form. A perfect example of this, is police drone acquisitions and their justification for using them.
Last year, when I wrote an article exposing how the Memorial Villages Police Department (PD) in Texas misrepresented how they planned to use drones and later used them to identify suspicious people I thought to myself; this is probably just the beginning.
That same story is being repeated, except this time it is taking place in Georgia.
When the Brookhaven PD acquired drones last year they also promised the public that they would be used exclusively for “search and rescue operations, crowd control at festivals and events, and to assist with criminal investigations.”
But a portent of what was to come was revealed in The Daily Leader‘s article titled “Police Drone Usage Takes Off.”
Sgt. Jonathan Alford, who is currently the only officer with a license to fly a drone, said the department could not “divulge any information regarding the Brookhaven Police Department’s UAS Program, its implementation, or operations of the UAS.” “Dennis Lott, who runs Hinds Community College’s Unmanned Aerial Systems program, said all law enforcement agencies will use drone aircraft in daily operations in the near future.”
The article went on to quote the usual privacy concerns about police drones but it also left the public with an interesting admission from Sgt. Alford who said, “the drone can be used to find someone suspected of a crime.”
That comment should have been a red flag to Georgia residents, namely that police departments had no intention of keeping their word to only use drones in dire emergencies.
Become a Natural Blaze Patron and Support Health Freedom HERE.
Which brings us to this year.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, revealed that the Brookhaven PD has no problems using COVID-19 as an excuse to justify using drones to respond to 911 calls.
Not every 911 call will be answered with a drone, but Brookhaven police said the project will give its officers more flexibility, availability and information, while limiting in-person contact amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Brookhaven PD will become only the second city in America to use drones to respond to 911 calls.
Brookhaven police Lt. Abrem Ayana who pitched the project to the City Council, said Brookhaven will become the first city outside of California to adopt this program — the first was the Chula Vista Police Department in 2018.
There is no justification for police departments to use drones to respond to 911 calls. Period.
Whether it is Amazon drones flying down our streets or police drones flying over our homes, the privacy implications remain the same.
What will happen to Americans privacy once private companies begin flying down our streets? Drones will fly over people’s yards while voyeuristic pilots invade everyone’s privacy. Was someone taking a shower or getting undressed in their window? Don’t worry, Amazon will have a real-time video of it. Was someone sunbathing in their backyard? Amazon will know.
This video illustrates why it doesn’t matter who uses drones on public streets; everyone’s privacy will be affected by their usage.
If you are still unsure about how police drones could threaten you and your family’s privacy, I leave you with this disturbing news:
North Dakota is working with L3Harris Technologies and Thales to put their surveillance software on drones. A recent Grand Forks Herald article called their statewide drone network a game-changer.
Aviation infrastructure companies L3Harris Technologies and Thales USA have been selected to build out key site infrastructure in Williams and McKenzie counties, and Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies Company, will provide systems engineering and integrations services, as well.
If you are unfamiliar with these companies, L3Harris is the go-to-replacement for police cell site interception. When cities and towns ban police departments from using Stingray technology they just switch companies to avoid breaking the law. Thales is well-known in the United Kingdom for its facial recognition technology.
Drones flying down our streets and over our homes equipped with IMSI catchers and facial recognition technology means no one will be safe from Big Brother’s prying eyes.
Last week’s story about law enforcement using a secret facial recognition program called the “National Capital Region Facial Recognition Investigative Leads System” to identify activists and protesters shows us why everyone should be worried about putting this technology on police drones.
The future of our privacy is being written by self-serving corporate interests and police departments, who are not concerned about our privacy.
Source: MassPrivateI Blog
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-11-10--Survey:  Parents Worldwide Would Allow Robots and AI to Care for, Monitor and Perform Surgery on The

Survey:  Parents Worldwide Would Allow Robots and AI to Care for, Monitor and Perform Surgery on Their Kids

In 2019 , a survey revealed that 82 % of Americans believed Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) was more harmful than helpful .
Also in 2019 , one study determined that AI could affect all occupational groups .
Even though Walmart has decided to eliminate robot workers from their stores , many employees are being displaced by AI and robots .
And according to a new survey , many parents worldwide seem interested in replacing childcare workers , nurses , and surgeons with robots and AI .
79 % of Indians would adopt a ‘ robot nanny ’ to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : IEEE Survey Generation AI 2020 Global Study Examines Millennial Parents ’ Confidence in AI , Robotics , Virtual Reality and Other Technologies for Their Family ’ s Health and Wellness IEEE , unveiled “ Generation AI 2020 : Health , Wellness and Technology in a Post-COVID World.
” According to the survey , more than three-quarters ( 79 % ) of parents in India agree that if they had the means , they would adopt a robot “ nanny ” to help take care of their children while working remotely from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A majority ( 66 % ) of parents globally agree they would adopt a robot “ nanny ” to help care for their children .
This global study reveals the confidence Millennial parents with Generation Alpha children ( under 11 years-old ) in the U.S. , U.K. , India , China and Brazil may have in AI and emerging technologies for the health and wellness of their families .
Parents Welcome Robot Help with Child Care and Homework The pandemic has created stressful challenges for families , with parents working , managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily household needs .
Meanwhile , AI is giving life to physically moving , walking and talking robots becoming more adept at conveying affection and compassion .
More than three-quarters ( 81 % ) of parents in India agree that having a robot nanny to help their children do their homework would alleviate a significant amount of their COVID-19-related stress .
More than half of American parents agree ( 54 % ) while among U.K. parents , over two-thirds ( 68 % ) agree .
Nearly three-quarters of parents in Brazil ( 73 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of parents in China ( 81 % ) agree .
Would parents leave their children home alone with a robot nanny ?
More than three-quarters of parents in India ( 76 % ) surveyed agree they would trust a full-time nanny robot to help take care of their children even if they are not home , while slightly more than half of parents in Brazil ( 51 % ) and the U.K. ( 54 % ) agree .
Only 37 % of American parents surveyed agree , while in China 80 % agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 % ) agree they would be comfortable using a robot nanny to take care of their infant or toddler child ( under two years-old ) .
More than half of parents in the U.K. ( 55 % ) agree , while slightly less than half of parents in Brazil ( 48 % ) agree .
Only 37 % of American parents surveyed agree , while 69 % in China agreed .
Surgical robots powered by artificial intelligence are bringing new innovations and accuracy to the operating room .
Globally , a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % ) or very ( 31 % ) likely to allow robots powered by AI to conduct surgery on their child .
Parents in India are extremely likely ( 39 % ) and very likely ( 25 % ) , to allow robotic surgery on their child .
Though parents in China are very ( 63 % ) and extremely ( 26 % ) likely , 41 % of American parents say they are not likely at all to allow it .
In addition , 64 % of those surveyed globally say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chat online with an AI and speech recognition-powered chatbot to diagnose their sick child .
Telehealth , AI and remote monitoring tools are helping nursing expand care beyond in-person bedside monitoring creating a practically virtual nurse .
About half of parents globally in 2020 ( 54 % ) are extremely or very comfortable leaving their child in the care of an AI-powered virtual nurse during a hospital stay .
Parents ’ sentiment regarding leaving their child with an AI virtual nurse varies across countries : 69 % of parents in India are extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents in China are extremely or very comfortable ; 52 % of parents in the U.K. are extremely or very comfortable ; 50 % of parents in Brazil are extremely or very comfortable , while just 29 % of American parents are extremely or very comfortable .
During the pandemic , 3D printing has been used to innovatively create personal protective equipment , medical devices and testing .
Researchers are also using 3D printing technologies to develop organs , including hearts that use human cells , collagen and biological molecules , since human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between life and death .
Nearly two in three ( 63 % ) Millennial parents globally are at least very comfortable with allowing a properly tested/fully functional 3D printed heart to be implanted in their child if needed , though about one in 10 ( 11 % ) are not comfortable at all .
More than one quarter parents in India ( 38 % ) are extremely comfortable and ( 36 % ) very comfortable with allowing a 3D printed heart to be implanted in their child .
Self-driving cleaning robots have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tasks , from disinfecting areas using ultraviolet lights and scrubbing floors , helping to maintain safe environments for essential workers and the public .
A majority of those surveyed globally ( 89 % ) have at least some trust in robots to clean or sanitize public spaces such as a transportation center , movie theater , restaurant or school , before entering to ensure it is safe , with 44 % having complete trust .
In India , more than half ( 58 % ) of those surveyed say they have complete trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a public space .
Across countries , 71 % agree they would not visit venues such as theaters until there is a wide distribution of an effective vaccine .
Those in India are most likely to agree ( 83 % ) that they will not visit venues such as theaters until there is wide distribution of an effective vaccine .
Those in the U.S. are least likely to agree ( 63 % ) .
To foster health and safety , talking autonomous robots working alongside human waitstaff are being used in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart guests are and when needed , telling them to maintain social distance and stay six feet apart .
Notably , 48 % of those surveyed globally say they strongly agree that they are likely to listen to a human restaurant worker who tells them to socially distance , and 41 % strongly agree that they are likely to listen to a robot .
Around the world COVID-19 suspended many person-to-person interactions , though Virtual Reality ( VR ) technology visiting systems that create photographic and realistic real-time simulations of meeting in-person have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing people to virtually visit sick family members .
Knowing VR visitation technology may be more widely used in many ways in the future , such as nursing homes and intensive care units , a majority of those surveyed globally ( 85 % ) say they would use a VR visiting system while 8 % would only visit in person .
More than three-quarters of people surveyed in India ( 81 % ) say they would use a VR visiting system while 14 % would only visit in person .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to operate .
Research has already determined that exposure to Electromagnetic Fields ( aka “ Electrosmog ” ) is biologically harmful .
More technology will generate more toxic E-Waste as well .
The worldwide implementation of 5G technology is also a huge threat to jobs .
5G also uses A LOT of energy when we ’ re all being told to reduce our energy consumption .
Perhaps all of the above is more harmful than helpful .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
For more information , visit our archives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
In 2019, a survey revealed that 82% of Americans believed Artificial Intelligence (AI) was more harmful than helpful. Also in 2019, one study determined that AI could affect all occupational groups.
Even though Walmart has decided to eliminate robot workers from their stores, many employees are being displaced by AI and robots. And according to a new survey, many parents worldwide seem interested in replacing childcare workers, nurses, and surgeons with robots and AI.
From ELEtimes:
79% of Indians would adopt a ‘robot nanny’ to help care for children while working from home: IEEE Survey
Generation AI 2020 Global Study Examines Millennial Parents’ Confidence in AI, Robotics, Virtual Reality and Other Technologies for Their Family’s Health and Wellness
IEEE, unveiled “Generation AI 2020: Health, Wellness and Technology in a Post-COVID World.” According to the survey, more than three-quarters (79%) of parents in India agree that if they had the means, they would adopt a robot “nanny” to help take care of their children while working remotely from home, running errands or when otherwise occupied. A majority (66%) of parents globally agree they would adopt a robot “nanny” to help care for their children.
This global study reveals the confidence Millennial parents with Generation Alpha children (under 11 years-old) in the U.S., U.K., India, China and Brazil may have in AI and emerging technologies for the health and wellness of their families.
Parents Welcome Robot Help with Child Care and Homework
The pandemic has created stressful challenges for families, with parents working, managing their children’s online learning and daily household needs. Meanwhile, AI is giving life to physically moving, walking and talking robots becoming more adept at conveying affection and compassion.
More than three-quarters (81%) of parents in India agree that having a robot nanny to help their children do their homework would alleviate a significant amount of their COVID-19-related stress. More than half of American parents agree (54%) while among U.K. parents, over two-thirds (68%) agree. Nearly three-quarters of parents in Brazil (73%) agree and more than three-quarters of parents in China (81%) agree.
Would parents leave their children home alone with a robot nanny? More than three-quarters of parents in India (76%) surveyed agree they would trust a full-time nanny robot to help take care of their children even if they are not home, while slightly more than half of parents in Brazil (51%) and the U.K. (54%) agree. Only 37% of American parents surveyed agree, while in China 80% agreed.
Over two-thirds parents in India (64%) agree they would be comfortable using a robot nanny to take care of their infant or toddler child (under two years-old). More than half of parents in the U.K. (55%) agree, while slightly less than half of parents in Brazil (48%) agree. Only 37% of American parents surveyed agree, while 69% in China agreed.
Robot Surgery for Children and Chatbot Diagnoses
Surgical robots powered by artificial intelligence are bringing new innovations and accuracy to the operating room. Globally, a majority of Millennial parents are extremely (29%) or very (31%) likely to allow robots powered by AI to conduct surgery on their child. Parents in India are extremely likely (39%) and very likely (25%), to allow robotic surgery on their child. Though parents in China are very (63%) and extremely (26%) likely, 41% of American parents say they are not likely at all to allow it. In addition, 64% of those surveyed globally say they would be extremely or very likely to chat online with an AI and speech recognition-powered chatbot to diagnose their sick child.
Telehealth and AI-Powered Nurses for Kids
Telehealth, AI and remote monitoring tools are helping nursing expand care beyond in-person bedside monitoring creating a practically virtual nurse. About half of parents globally in 2020 (54%) are extremely or very comfortable leaving their child in the care of an AI-powered virtual nurse during a hospital stay. Parents’ sentiment regarding leaving their child with an AI virtual nurse varies across countries: 69% of parents in India are extremely or very comfortable; 71% of parents in China are extremely or very comfortable; 52% of parents in the U.K. are extremely or very comfortable; 50% of parents in Brazil are extremely or very comfortable, while just 29% of American parents are extremely or very comfortable.
3D Printed Heart Implants for Children
During the pandemic, 3D printing has been used to innovatively create personal protective equipment, medical devices and testing. Researchers are also using 3D printing technologies to develop organs, including hearts that use human cells, collagen and biological molecules, since human donor organ availability can mean the difference between life and death.
Nearly two in three (63%) Millennial parents globally are at least very comfortable with allowing a properly tested/fully functional 3D printed heart to be implanted in their child if needed, though about one in 10 (11%) are not comfortable at all.
More than one quarter parents in India (38%) are extremely comfortable and (36%) very comfortable with allowing a 3D printed heart to be implanted in their child.
Robots, Disinfecting, Social Distancing and Dining
Self-driving cleaning robots have also been deployed during the pandemic for various tasks, from disinfecting areas using ultraviolet lights and scrubbing floors, helping to maintain safe environments for essential workers and the public.
A majority of those surveyed globally (89%) have at least some trust in robots to clean or sanitize public spaces such as a transportation center, movie theater, restaurant or school, before entering to ensure it is safe, with 44% having complete trust. In India, more than half (58%) of those surveyed say they have complete trust in robots for cleaning and sanitization purposes in a public space.
Across countries, 71% agree they would not visit venues such as theaters until there is a wide distribution of an effective vaccine. Those in India are most likely to agree (83%) that they will not visit venues such as theaters until there is wide distribution of an effective vaccine. Those in the U.S. are least likely to agree (63%).
To foster health and safety, talking autonomous robots working alongside human waitstaff are being used in some restaurants to detect and monitor how far apart guests are and when needed, telling them to maintain social distance and stay six feet apart. Notably, 48% of those surveyed globally say they strongly agree that they are likely to listen to a human restaurant worker who tells them to socially distance, and 41% strongly agree that they are likely to listen to a robot.
Virtual Reality Visitation — Today and Tomorrow
Around the world COVID-19 suspended many person-to-person interactions, though Virtual Reality (VR) technology visiting systems that create photographic and realistic real-time simulations of meeting in-person have been used in COVID-19 isolation wards, allowing people to virtually visit sick family members. Knowing VR visitation technology may be more widely used in many ways in the future, such as nursing homes and intensive care units, a majority of those surveyed globally (85%) say they would use a VR visiting system while 8% would only visit in person. More than three-quarters of people surveyed in India (81%) say they would use a VR visiting system while 14% would only visit in person.
Of course, all of this technology will require electronics to operate. Research has already determined that exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (aka “Electrosmog”) is biologically harmful. More technology will generate more toxic E-Waste as well. The worldwide implementation of 5G technology is also a huge threat to jobs. 5G also uses A LOT of energy when we’re all being told to reduce our energy consumption. Perhaps all of the above is more harmful than helpful.
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites:
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-11-11--The Privacy Implications Of Using Police Drones To Respond to 911 Calls


activistpost--2020-11-11--Survey:  Parents Worldwide Would Allow Robots and AI to Care for, Monitor and Perform Surgery on The


activistpost--2020-11-12--Once “Immune” To The Pandemic, The Financial Industry Is About To Face A Wave Of Layoffs

We covered when Wells Fargo laid off 700 employees in early October , noting the bank , best known in recent years for scamming retail customers and botching small business refi loans , was just likely just starting to implement a larger plan that would result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs .
We knew then that other banks would eventually follow suit and now , it looks like this is starting to take place .
JPMorgan has started hundreds of dismissals , including 80 at its consumer unit .
Goldman has also started eliminating about 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
While much of the financial sector was spared from massive layoffs due to the pandemic , hiring has finally slowed and other banks are starting to look at implementing cuts , according to Bloomberg .
Alan Johnson , the head of compensation-consulting firm Johnson Associates Inc. , predicts that the financial industry will see its headcount fall by 10 % by mid-2021 .
“ Financial services and banking has too many people .
Next year is going to be very low hiring .
There ’ ll be some layoffs , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiring at the levels they were .
The trajectory of economic recovery is so unknown and it ’ s so uncertain and it ’ s so significant , and you overlay the pandemic and remote working and Zoom — if you ’ re a laid-off employee , this is a very difficult set of circumstances , ” he added .
And so the financial service workers who spent the pandemic earning fees “ arranging emergency loans ” and handling an influx of volume on trading desks could all eventually see their heads on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely focus on traditional banking , Bloomberg says , as banking services move to online formats .
Wall Street could see some layoffs , however , especially given recent mergers ( like that of Schwab and TD Ameritrade ) in the brokerage space .
Even worse is that financial executives who are being laid off from large banks may find it difficult to find jobs at smaller , rival firms .
The length of time to land a job has “ roughly doubled ” for senior executives since before the pandemic .
Openings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % from a year prior , according to data from Indeed.com .
The one silver lining appears to be mortgage operations .
With rates at historic lows , mortgage banks are the sole area in the industry that is adding personnel .
Jeramy Kaiman , head of professional recruitment in western U.S. at staffing firm Adecco Group said : “ Mortgage is booming — I don ’ t even know what other word to say .
Candidates are all receiving three to five offers in 24 hours when they ’ re on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to shed “ up to tens of thousands ” of workers over the next few years , reducing branches as part of its cost-cutting initiative .
Vickee Adams , spokeswoman for Wells Fargo , said : “ In those situations , to ensure we continue to serve customers well , we keep employees working in other nearby branches whenever possible .
We are as responsive to our employees as possible , providing jobs-search resources and other assistance as best we can.
” Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Tyler Durden
We covered when Wells Fargo laid off 700 employees in early October, noting the bank, best known in recent years for scamming retail customers and botching small business refi loans, was just likely just starting to implement a larger plan that would result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.
We knew then that other banks would eventually follow suit and now, it looks like this is starting to take place. JPMorgan has started hundreds of dismissals, including 80 at its consumer unit. Goldman has also started eliminating about 400 positions, including “back office roles”.
While much of the financial sector was spared from massive layoffs due to the pandemic, hiring has finally slowed and other banks are starting to look at implementing cuts, according to Bloomberg.
Alan Johnson, the head of compensation-consulting firm Johnson Associates Inc., predicts that the financial industry will see its headcount fall by 10% by mid-2021.
“Financial services and banking has too many people. Next year is going to be very low hiring. There’ll be some layoffs,” he said.
“Firms are not hiring at the levels they were. The trajectory of economic recovery is so unknown and it’s so uncertain and it’s so significant, and you overlay the pandemic and remote working and Zoom — if you’re a laid-off employee, this is a very difficult set of circumstances,” he added.
And so the financial service workers who spent the pandemic earning fees “arranging emergency loans” and handling an influx of volume on trading desks could all eventually see their heads on the layoff chopping block.
Firings will likely focus on traditional banking, Bloomberg says, as banking services move to online formats. Wall Street could see some layoffs, however, especially given recent mergers (like that of Schwab and TD Ameritrade) in the brokerage space.
Even worse is that financial executives who are being laid off from large banks may find it difficult to find jobs at smaller, rival firms. The length of time to land a job has “roughly doubled” for senior executives since before the pandemic. Openings in banking and finance are down 21% from a year prior, according to data from Indeed.com.
The one silver lining appears to be mortgage operations. With rates at historic lows, mortgage banks are the sole area in the industry that is adding personnel.
Jeramy Kaiman, head of professional recruitment in western U.S. at staffing firm Adecco Group said: “Mortgage is booming — I don’t even know what other word to say. Candidates are all receiving three to five offers in 24 hours when they’re on the market.”
As noted, Wells Fargo is expected to shed “up to tens of thousands” of workers over the next few years, reducing branches as part of its cost-cutting initiative.
Vickee Adams, spokeswoman for Wells Fargo, said: “In those situations, to ensure we continue to serve customers well, we keep employees working in other nearby branches whenever possible. We are as responsive to our employees as possible, providing jobs-search resources and other assistance as best we can.”
Source: Zero Hedge
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-11-11--NYC to Experiment Responding to Some Calls With Mental Health Workers Instead of Police

On Tuesday , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new pilot program that will send mental health and crisis workers instead of police on emergency mental health calls .
The program is expected to begin in February and will be composed of new mental health teams from the Fire Department ’ s Emergency Medical Services unit and will target two “ high-need ” neighborhoods , according to Reuters .
“ For the first time in our city ’ s history , health responders will be the default responders for a person in crisis , making sure those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need , ” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement .
The statement went on to say that the professionals on call for mental health crises would be equipped to handle suicide attempts , drug abuse , and physical problems that are often indicators of mental health problems , all situations that police would typically respond to .
The mental health responders will be accompanied by a police officer if there is a weapon involved or “ imminent risk of harm , ” the statement said .
Even the most simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which often makes it difficult to communicate properly .
This tends to escalate the situation , considering that most police demand nothing short of complete obedience , even if they are dealing with someone who is not a suspect in a crime .
This can be scary for most people , but for someone who suffers from a mental illness and may already have challenges with communication , these types of encounters can be especially terrifying .
Sadly , police across the country have repeatedly proven that they do not have the proper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentally ill people .
This is extremely obvious when police are called to do a “ welfare check ” on someone who is struggling with mental illness , only to shoot and kill the person because they didn ’ t “ follow orders ” to the officer ’ s liking .
A 2017 report issued by the Bureau of Justice Statistics used self-report survey data from inmates and found that at least 37 % of prisoners and 44 % of jail inmates had a history of mental health problems .
A large portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug crimes or offenses associated with homelessness or poverty .
Studies have shown that people who suffer from mental illness are 16 times more likely than the average person to be killed by a police officer .
According to the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy Center , a minimum of 1 in 4 fatal police encounters ends the life of an individual with severe mental illness .
Some US cities have already begun experimenting with sending mental health professionals out to deal with certain issues , most notably , Eugene , Oregon , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The program , called , Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets ( CAHOOTS ) , began in Oregon , but is now currently operational in at least 8 US cities .
It was estimated that the city of Eugene diverted 17 % of 130,000 calls through the CAHOOTS program in 2017 alone .
The program is also running in Los Angeles , Oakland , New York , Denver , Vancouver , and Portland .
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By John Vibes
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new pilot program that will send mental health and crisis workers instead of police on emergency mental health calls.
The program is expected to begin in February and will be composed of new mental health teams from the Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services unit and will target two “high-need” neighborhoods, according to Reuters.
“For the first time in our city’s history, health responders will be the default responders for a person in crisis, making sure those struggling with mental illness receive the help they need,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
The statement went on to say that the professionals on call for mental health crises would be equipped to handle suicide attempts, drug abuse, and physical problems that are often indicators of mental health problems, all situations that police would typically respond to.
The mental health responders will be accompanied by a police officer if there is a weapon involved or “imminent risk of harm,” the statement said.
Even the most simple police encounters can be very stressful, which often makes it difficult to communicate properly. This tends to escalate the situation, considering that most police demand nothing short of complete obedience, even if they are dealing with someone who is not a suspect in a crime.
This can be scary for most people, but for someone who suffers from a mental illness and may already have challenges with communication, these types of encounters can be especially terrifying. Sadly, police across the country have repeatedly proven that they do not have the proper attitude or social skills to deal with mentally ill people. This is extremely obvious when police are called to do a “welfare check” on someone who is struggling with mental illness, only to shoot and kill the person because they didn’t “follow orders” to the officer’s liking.
A 2017 report issued by the Bureau of Justice Statistics used self-report survey data from inmates and found that at least 37% of prisoners and 44% of jail inmates had a history of mental health problems. A large portion of these people were convicted of nonviolent drug crimes or offenses associated with homelessness or poverty.
Studies have shown that people who suffer from mental illness are 16 times more likely than the average person to be killed by a police officer. According to the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy Center, a minimum of 1 in 4 fatal police encounters ends the life of an individual with severe mental illness.
Some US cities have already begun experimenting with sending mental health professionals out to deal with certain issues, most notably, Eugene, Oregon, which has been operational for the past 30 years. The program, called, Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS), began in Oregon, but is now currently operational in at least 8 US cities. It was estimated that the city of Eugene diverted 17% of 130,000 calls through the CAHOOTS program in 2017 alone. The program is also running in Los Angeles, Oakland, New York, Denver, Vancouver, and Portland.
Source: The Mind Unleashed
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activistpost--2020-11-11--Taxpayers Hit for $750K After Cops Attack NBA Star Sterling Brown — for Parking Incorrectly

Milwaukee , WI — In January 2018 , Milwaukee Bucks guard Sterling Brown was running into a Walgreens store when he was approached by a lone police officer .
That one officer then called for backup and within minutes , nearly a dozen cops had this innocent man , surrounded , assaulted , tasered , and arrested because he had incorrectly parked .
Now , because of the incompetence and brutality exhibited by these officers , the taxpayers will be shelling out $ 750,000 to Brown in the form of a settlement .
In a rare move , the the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown ’ s constitutional rights were violated when officers took him to the ground , tasered him and arrested him .
If this proposal is approved it would be the first time in Milwaukee ’ s history that the city ever admitted fault in a police misconduct case — despite paying out tens of millions in settlements .
According to jsonline.com , in just the last five years , police misconduct has cost Milwaukee taxpayers at least $ 31.6 million in legal settlements , forcing the city to borrow money to make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see here…..
Since his senseless attack by police , Brown has used the attention to seek positive change in policing .
After police killed George Floyd , Brown organized thousands of people in peaceful protests over the summer .
In June , as jsonline.com reports , he looked at a 7,500-person crowd outside Fiserv Forum in June and told the marchers they were “ making something great happen , something positive happen , something that ’ s heard around the world.
” “ As we march today , let ’ s be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
As TFTP reported at the time , after sitting on the body camera footage for five months , the Milwaukee police department finally released it in May of 2018 .
It is nothing short of infuriating as it shows Brown being polite , compliant , and go along with everything the officers are saying .
However , in spite of giving police total compliance , he was still surrounded like a pack of wolves out for blood , who would eventually pounce .
That night , Brown had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchase , and since the parking lot was entirely empty , he decided to park across two handicapped parking spots .
This wasn ’ t the wisest decision and should ’ ve ended with a ticket .
However , police thought they had landed themselves a drug dealer or someone sinister after apparently seeing a young black man in a Mercedes .
Instead of writing a ticket , the officer called his partner for backup and in just a few minutes , a half dozen cop cars had the parking lot swarming with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very aggressive , ” which is why the officer called for backup .
However , as the footage below shows , this was a lie .
Police then claimed that “ Brown physically resisted officers ’ attempts to handcuff him and he was taken to the ground in a controlled manner.
” The officer said Brown continued to “ resist being handcuffed ” and “ a Taser had to be employed to get Brown in control with handcuffs.
” At no time during the video is Brown physically resisting officers .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were unable to charge him with resisting arrest .
The assault , taser , and kidnapping ended with a simple $ 200 parking ticket which was later thrown out .
The abuse and force used during the arrest was so over the top that an internal investigation was launched and the officers involved were disciplined .
Exactly what that ‘ discipline ’ was remains a mystery as none of the officers were fired .
“ The ( Police ) Department conducted an investigation into the incident which revealed members acted inappropriately .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said during a news conference at the time .
“ I am sorry this incident escalated to this level , ” he said .
“ When I took office , I vowed to rebuild trust between the Milwaukee Police Department and the community .
We are doing that.
” Despite the apology , Brown said , “ It doesn ’ t justify what happened.
” Below is a video showing that no matter what socioeconomic status you are in or how successful you become , you can and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those “ sworn to protect and serve.
” 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 .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Matt Agorist
Milwaukee, WI — In January 2018, Milwaukee Bucks guard Sterling Brown was running into a Walgreens store when he was approached by a lone police officer. That one officer then called for backup and within minutes, nearly a dozen cops had this innocent man, surrounded, assaulted, tasered, and arrested because he had incorrectly parked.
Now, because of the incompetence and brutality exhibited by these officers, the taxpayers will be shelling out $750,000 to Brown in the form of a settlement. In a rare move, the the settlement proposal also includes an admission that Brown’s constitutional rights were violated when officers took him to the ground, tasered him and arrested him. If this proposal is approved it would be the first time in Milwaukee’s history that the city ever admitted fault in a police misconduct case — despite paying out tens of millions in settlements.
According to jsonline.com, in just the last five years, police misconduct has cost Milwaukee taxpayers at least $31.6 million in legal settlements, forcing the city to borrow money to make the payouts amid an ever-tightening budget.
Nothing to see here…..
Since his senseless attack by police, Brown has used the attention to seek positive change in policing. After police killed George Floyd, Brown organized thousands of people in peaceful protests over the summer.
In June, as jsonline.com reports, he looked at a 7,500-person crowd outside Fiserv Forum in June and told the marchers they were “making something great happen, something positive happen, something that’s heard around the world.”
“As we march today, let’s be loud, let’s be known,” he said.
As TFTP reported at the time, after sitting on the body camera footage for five months, the Milwaukee police department finally released it in May of 2018. It is nothing short of infuriating as it shows Brown being polite, compliant, and go along with everything the officers are saying. However, in spite of giving police total compliance, he was still surrounded like a pack of wolves out for blood, who would eventually pounce.
That night, Brown had run inside the Walgreens to make a purchase, and since the parking lot was entirely empty, he decided to park across two handicapped parking spots. This wasn’t the wisest decision and should’ve ended with a ticket. However, police thought they had landed themselves a drug dealer or someone sinister after apparently seeing a young black man in a Mercedes.
Instead of writing a ticket, the officer called his partner for backup and in just a few minutes, a half dozen cop cars had the parking lot swarming with officers.
Police claim Brown “became very aggressive,” which is why the officer called for backup. However, as the footage below shows, this was a lie.
Police then claimed that “Brown physically resisted officers’ attempts to handcuff him and he was taken to the ground in a controlled manner.”
The officer said Brown continued to “resist being handcuffed” and “a Taser had to be employed to get Brown in control with handcuffs.”
At no time during the video is Brown physically resisting officers. In fact, because he did not resist, they were unable to charge him with resisting arrest. The assault, taser, and kidnapping ended with a simple $200 parking ticket which was later thrown out.
The abuse and force used during the arrest was so over the top that an internal investigation was launched and the officers involved were disciplined. Exactly what that ‘discipline’ was remains a mystery as none of the officers were fired.
“The (Police) Department conducted an investigation into the incident which revealed members acted inappropriately. Those members were recently disciplined,” Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said during a news conference at the time.
“I am sorry this incident escalated to this level,” he said. “When I took office, I vowed to rebuild trust between the Milwaukee Police Department and the community. We are doing that.”
Despite the apology, Brown said, “It doesn’t justify what happened.”
Below is a video showing that no matter what socioeconomic status you are in or how successful you become, you can and will be brutally and violently attacked by those “sworn to protect and serve.”
Source: The Free Thought Project
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. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
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activistpost--2020-11-11--Deutsche Bank Proposes A 5% “Work From Home” Tax

At a time when the Fed is already monetizing the entire US budget deficit thanks to helicopter money , sparking conversations about the utility of taxation , and when a Biden administration is set to at least try and roll back most of the Trump tax cuts , the last thing the population wants to hear about is even more taxes .
Yet in a “ modest proposal ” from Deutsche Bank , the bank argues that in a time of pervasive covid shutdowns , “ those who can work from home ( WFH ) receive direct and indirect financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to smooth the transition process for those who have been suddenly displaced.
” In other words , the argument goes that working from an office is somehow punitive , and since WFH during the pandemic leads to “ many benefits ” as a resulting “ disconnecting themselves from face-to-face society ” a 5 % tax for each WFH day “ would leave the average person no worse off than if they worked in the office.
” The bank calculates that such a tax could raise $ 49bn per year in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the UK .
“ That can fund subsidies for the lowest-paid workers who usually can not work from home.
” In the report written by DB strategist Like Tumpleman , he argues that the popularity of WFH was growing even before the pandemic : “ between 2005 and 2018 , internet technology fuelled a 173 per cent increase in the number of Americans who regularly worked from home .
It is true that the overall proportion of people working from home before the pandemic was still small , at 5.4 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth was still way ahead of the growth in the overall workforce.
” Naturally , the covid shutdowns have turbocharged that growth , and as a result the proportion of Americans who worked from home increased ten-fold to 56 % during the pandemic .
Many of these people will continue to work remotely for some time .
Indeed , two-thirds of organizations say that at least three-quarters of their staff can work from home effectively , according to S & P Global Markets .
Meanwhile , a DB survey shows that , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of people who tried out WFH want to continue it permanently for between two and three days a week .
This sudden shift to WFH means that , for the first time in history , “ a big chunk of people have disconnected themselves from the face-to-face world yet are still leading a full economic life ” as if that is somehow a bad thing .
It gets crazier : the bank claims that working in the comfort of one ’ s own home leads to a slew of financial benefits including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as travel , lunch , clothes , and cleaning .
• indirect savings via forgone socializing and other expenses that would have been incurred had a worker been in the office .
• intangible benefits of working from home , such as greater job security , convenience , and flexibility .
• There is also the benefit of additional safety .
As if it is difficult to find someone who also sits in front of a computer all day long in Bangladesh and has the exact same skillset but would work for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are working remotely are , according to DB , the equivalent of social parasites as they “ contribute less to the infrastructure of the economy whilst still receiving its benefits ” potentially extending the slump in national growth .
In other words , the mere act of working from home makes you guilty of not propping up the economy !
That , according to Templeman “ is a big problem for the economy as it has taken decades and centuries to build up the wider business and economic infrastructure that supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of assets lie redundant , the economic malaise will be extended.
” In short , those who failed to develop the appropriate skillset and are “ forced ” to work in society – mostly employees of service companies – and who were unable to refused to educate and train themselves to be able to “ enjoy ” the benefits of work from home jobs which incidentally include sitting in front of a computer for hours on end and in some notable cases masturbating in front of a zoom conference call , have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lucky enough to not have to work in public .
While it would be easy to laugh and merely brush this idea off as another ridiculous policy proposal from a bank whose very existence would be very much in question had it not been for several rounds of generous taxpayer funded bailouts , since this is yet another grossly socialist proposal we are concerned it has a very high probability of passage not only in Europe but also in the US , especially if Democrats manage to pull of a “ Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So far a WFH tax has merely been floated by a handful of Wall Street strategists ; however , once this idea gets more popular coverage , expect a groundswell of support for the idea which will promptly lead to yet another tax .
Below we republish the Deutsche Bank note in its entirety because it is clearly a blueprint for what ’ s to come : For years we have needed a tax on remote workers – covid has just made it obvious .
Quite simply , our economic system is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can disconnect themselves from face-to-face society .
Those who can WFH receive direct and indirect financial benefits and they should be taxed in order to smooth the transition process for those who have been suddenly displaced .
The popularity of WFH was growing even before the pandemic .
Between 2005 and 2018 , internet technology fuelled a 173 per cent increase in the number of Americans who regularly worked from home1 .
It is true that the overall proportion of people working from home before the pandemic was still small , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the growth was still way ahead of the growth in the overall workforce .
Covid has turbocharged that growth .
During the pandemic , the proportion of Americans who worked from home increased ten-fold to 56 per cent .
In the UK , there was a seven-fold increase to 47 per cent .
Many of these people will continue to work remotely for some time .
Indeed , two-thirds of organisations say that at least three-quarters of their staff can work from home effectively , according to S & P Global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that , after the pandemic has passed , more than half of people who tried out WFH want to continue it permanently for between two and three days a week The sudden shift to WFH means that , for the first time in history , a big chunk of people have disconnected themselves from the face-to-face world yet are still leading a full economic life .
That means remote workers are contributing less to the infrastructure of the economy whilst still receiving its benefits .
That is a big problem for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centuries to build up the wider business and economic infrastructure that supports face-to-face working .
If a great swathe of assets lie redundant , the economic malaise will be extended .
WFH offers direct financial savings on expenses such as travel , lunch , clothes , and cleaning .
Add to these the indirect savings via forgone socialising and other expenses that would have been incurred had a worker been in the office .
Then there are the intangible benefits of working from home , such as greater job security , convenience , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit of additional safety .
The newly-discovered gains of home working , both tangible and intangible , all have value .
And they generally outweigh the costs .
The latter have mostly come in the form of additional mental stress of juggling work and children , and dealing with an imperfect home-office setup .
These costs should not be underestimated , however , they usually pale in comparison with the gains .
Hence why the vast majority of home workers want to continue remote working , on at least a part time basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the tax will only apply outside the times when the government advises people to work from home ( of course , the self-employed and those on low incomes can be excluded ) .
The tax itself will be paid by the employer if it does not provide a worker with a permanent desk .
If it does , and the staff member chooses to work from home , the employee will pay the tax out of their salary for each day they work from home .
This can be audited by coordinating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The tax rate ?
Those who can work from home tend to have higher-than-average incomes .
If we assume the average salary of a person who chooses to work from home in the US is $ 55,000 , a tax of five per cent works out to just over $ 10 per working day .
That is roughly the amount an office worker might spend on commuting , lunch , and laundry etc .
A tax at this rate , then , will leave them no worse off than if they had chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we apply the same tax rate to workers in the UK with an assumed average WFH salary of £35,000 , it works out to just under £7 per day .
In Germany , a WFH salary of €40,000 leads to a tax of just over €7.50 per day .
A tax at this level means that neither companies or individuals will be worse off .
In fact , companies may be far better off as the savings from downsizing their office will more than make up for the cost of the WFH tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tax raise ?
First the US .
Of the 104m Americans who work full time , half worked from home during the pandemic .
That is up from the 5.4 per cent who already worked from home before the pandemic .
Of that additional 45 per cent , our survey shows that three quarters want to work from home to some degree post-covid with 16 per cent wanting one day a week , 33 per cent two days , 19 per cent three days , 4 per cent four days , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this up , there could be 4.2bn new days every year being worked from home post-covid .
With an additional 394m days for those part time and full time staff who already work from home and are not self-employed , that gives 4.6bn WFH days per year .
At an average salary of $ 55,000 and a tax rate of five per cent , the WFH tax will raise $ 48bn per year .
The same calculation in the UK and Germany ( using country specific WFH data and the salary levels assumed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £6.9bn and €15.9bn respectively .
What can the government do with this money ?
In the US , the $ 48bn raised could pay for a $ 1,500 grant to the 29m workers who can not work from home and earn under $ 30,000 a year ( excluding those who earn tips ) .
Many of these people are those who assumed the health risks of working during the pandemic and are far more ‘ essential ’ than their wage level suggests .
Similarly , in Germany , the €15.9bn raised could fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent of people in the country who have a standard of living equivalent to €12,600 ( after adjusting for the size of their household ) .
Similarly in the UK , the £6.9bn raised could provide a grant of £2,000 to the 12 per cent of those aged over 25 who work for the minimum wage .
Of course , the exact amount of the grant could be based on an asymmetric tapering system .
Some will argue against the tax .
They will say that engagement with the economy is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalised for making that decision .
Yet , these people should remember that governments have always backsolved taxes to suit the social environment .
Consider that in centuries past , when it was socially unpalatable in the UK to introduce an income tax , the government implemented a window tax .
As society changed , the window tax was abolished and , eventually , an income tax was introduced .
In the same way , as our current society moves towards a state of ‘ human disconnection ’ , our tax system must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a WFH tax does not merely subsidise businesses that have no long-term future .
If , for example , a city-centre sandwich shop is no longer needed , it does not make sense for the government to support the business in the medium term .
But it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control .
Many will have to take low-paid jobs while they retrain or figure out their next step in life .
From a personal and economic point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these people should be given a helping hand .
It also makes sense to recognise that essential workers that assume covid risk for low wages .
Those who are lucky enough to be in a position to ‘ disconnect ’ themselves from the face-to-face economy owe it to them .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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Provide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming !
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By Tyler Durden
At a time when the Fed is already monetizing the entire US budget deficit thanks to helicopter money, sparking conversations about the utility of taxation, and when a Biden administration is set to at least try and roll back most of the Trump tax cuts, the last thing the population wants to hear about is even more taxes.
Yet in a “modest proposal” from Deutsche Bank, the bank argues that in a time of pervasive covid shutdowns, “those who can work from home (WFH) receive direct and indirect financial benefits and they should be taxed in order to smooth the transition process for those who have been suddenly displaced.”
In other words, the argument goes that working from an office is somehow punitive, and since WFH during the pandemic leads to “many benefits” as a resulting “disconnecting themselves from face-to-face society” a 5% tax for each WFH day “would leave the average person no worse off than if they worked in the office.” The bank calculates that such a tax could raise $49bn per year in the US, €20bn in Germany, and £7bn in the UK. “That can fund subsidies for the lowest-paid workers who usually cannot work from home.”
In the report written by DB strategist Like Tumpleman, he argues that the popularity of WFH was growing even before the pandemic: “between 2005 and 2018, internet technology fuelled a 173 per cent increase in the number of Americans who regularly worked from home. It is true that the overall proportion of people working from home before the pandemic was still small, at 5.4 per cent based on census data, but the growth was still way ahead of the growth in the overall workforce.”
Naturally, the covid shutdowns have turbocharged that growth, and as a result the proportion of Americans who worked from home increased ten-fold to 56% during the pandemic. Many of these people will continue to work remotely for some time. Indeed, two-thirds of organizations say that at least three-quarters of their staff can work from home effectively, according to S&P Global Markets. Meanwhile, a DB survey shows that, after the pandemic has passed, more than half of people who tried out WFH want to continue it permanently for between two and three days a week.
This sudden shift to WFH means that, for the first time in history, “a big chunk of people have disconnected themselves from the face-to-face world yet are still leading a full economic life” as if that is somehow a bad thing.
It gets crazier: the bank claims that working in the comfort of one’s own home leads to a slew of financial benefits including:
financial savings on expenses such as travel, lunch, clothes, and cleaning.
indirect savings via forgone socializing and other expenses that would have been incurred had a worker been in the office.
intangible benefits of working from home, such as greater job security, convenience, and flexibility.
There is also the benefit of additional safety.
As if it is difficult to find someone who also sits in front of a computer all day long in Bangladesh and has the exact same skillset but would work for a fraction of the pay.
Yet those people who are working remotely are, according to DB, the equivalent of social parasites as they “contribute less to the infrastructure of the economy whilst still receiving its benefits” potentially extending the slump in national growth. In other words, the mere act of working from home makes you guilty of not propping up the economy!
That, according to Templeman “is a big problem for the economy as it has taken decades and centuries to build up the wider business and economic infrastructure that supports face-to-face working. If a great swathe of assets lie redundant, the economic malaise will be extended.”
In short, those who failed to develop the appropriate skillset and are “forced” to work in society – mostly employees of service companies – and who were unable to refused to educate and train themselves to be able to “enjoy” the benefits of work from home jobs which incidentally include sitting in front of a computer for hours on end and in some notable cases masturbating in front of a zoom conference call, have to be rewarded monetarily by all those who are lucky enough to not have to work in public.
While it would be easy to laugh and merely brush this idea off as another ridiculous policy proposal from a bank whose very existence would be very much in question had it not been for several rounds of generous taxpayer funded bailouts, since this is yet another grossly socialist proposal we are concerned it has a very high probability of passage not only in Europe but also in the US, especially if Democrats manage to pull of a “Blue wave” sweep in Georgia in January.
So far a WFH tax has merely been floated by a handful of Wall Street strategists; however, once this idea gets more popular coverage, expect a groundswell of support for the idea which will promptly lead to yet another tax.
Below we republish the Deutsche Bank note in its entirety because it is clearly a blueprint for what’s to come:
A work-from-home tax, by Luke Templeman
For years we have needed a tax on remote workers – covid has just made it obvious. Quite simply, our economic system is not set up to cope with people who can disconnect themselves from face-to-face society. Those who can WFH receive direct and indirect financial benefits and they should be taxed in order to smooth the transition process for those who have been suddenly displaced.
The popularity of WFH was growing even before the pandemic. Between 2005 and 2018, internet technology fuelled a 173 per cent increase in the number of Americans who regularly worked from home1. It is true that the overall proportion of people working from home before the pandemic was still small, at 5.4 per cent based on census data, but the growth was still way ahead of the growth in the overall workforce.
Covid has turbocharged that growth. During the pandemic, the proportion of Americans who worked from home increased ten-fold to 56 per cent. In the UK, there was a seven-fold increase to 47 per cent. Many of these people will continue to work remotely for some time. Indeed, two-thirds of organisations say that at least three-quarters of their staff can work from home effectively, according to S&P Global Markets. Meanwhile, a DB survey shows that, after the pandemic has passed, more than half of people who tried out WFH want to continue it permanently for between two and three days a week
The sudden shift to WFH means that, for the first time in history, a big chunk of people have disconnected themselves from the face-to-face world yet are still leading a full economic life. That means remote workers are contributing less to the infrastructure of the economy whilst still receiving its benefits.
That is a big problem for the economy as it has taken decades and centuries to build up the wider business and economic infrastructure that supports face-to-face working. If a great swathe of assets lie redundant, the economic malaise will be extended.
WFH is financially rewarding
WFH offers direct financial savings on expenses such as travel, lunch, clothes, and cleaning. Add to these the indirect savings via forgone socialising and other expenses that would have been incurred had a worker been in the office. Then there are the intangible benefits of working from home, such as greater job security, convenience, and flexibility. There is also the benefit of additional safety. The newly-discovered gains of home working, both tangible and intangible, all have value. And they generally outweigh the costs. The latter have mostly come in the form of additional mental stress of juggling work and children, and dealing with an imperfect home-office setup. These costs should not be underestimated, however, they usually pale in comparison with the gains. Hence why the vast majority of home workers want to continue remote working, on at least a part time basis, after the pandemic passes.
First, the tax will only apply outside the times when the government advises people to work from home (of course, the self-employed and those on low incomes can be excluded). The tax itself will be paid by the employer if it does not provide a worker with a permanent desk. If it does, and the staff member chooses to work from home, the employee will pay the tax out of their salary for each day they work from home. This can be audited by coordinating with company travel and technology systems.
The tax rate? Those who can work from home tend to have higher-than-average incomes. If we assume the average salary of a person who chooses to work from home in the US is $55,000, a tax of five per cent works out to just over $10 per working day. That is roughly the amount an office worker might spend on commuting, lunch, and laundry etc. A tax at this rate, then, will leave them no worse off than if they had chosen to go into the office. If we apply the same tax rate to workers in the UK with an assumed average WFH salary of £35,000, it works out to just under £7 per day. In Germany, a WFH salary of €40,000 leads to a tax of just over €7.50 per day.
A tax at this level means that neither companies or individuals will be worse off. In fact, companies may be far better off as the savings from downsizing their office will more than make up for the cost of the WFH tax they will incur.
How much will the tax raise?
First the US. Of the 104m Americans who work full time, half worked from home during the pandemic. That is up from the 5.4 per cent who already worked from home before the pandemic. Of that additional 45 per cent, our survey shows that three quarters want to work from home to some degree post-covid with 16 per cent wanting one day a week, 33 per cent two days, 19 per cent three days, 4 per cent four days, and 4 per cent five days.
Adding this up, there could be 4.2bn new days every year being worked from home post-covid. With an additional 394m days for those part time and full time staff who already work from home and are not self-employed, that gives 4.6bn WFH days per year. At an average salary of $55,000 and a tax rate of five per cent, the WFH tax will raise $48bn per year. The same calculation in the UK and Germany (using country specific WFH data and the salary levels assumed above) yields a tax take of £6.9bn and €15.9bn respectively.
What can the government do with this money?
In the US, the $48bn raised could pay for a $1,500 grant to the 29m workers who cannot work from home and earn under $30,000 a year (excluding those who earn tips). Many of these people are those who assumed the health risks of working during the pandemic and are far more ‘essential’ than their wage level suggests.
Similarly, in Germany, the €15.9bn raised could fund a €1,500 grant to the bottom 12 per cent of people in the country who have a standard of living equivalent to €12,600 (after adjusting for the size of their household). Similarly in the UK, the £6.9bn raised could provide a grant of £2,000 to the 12 per cent of those aged over 25 who work for the minimum wage. Of course, the exact amount of the grant could be based on an asymmetric tapering system.
Some will argue against the tax. They will say that engagement with the economy is a personal choice and they should not be penalised for making that decision. Yet, these people should remember that governments have always backsolved taxes to suit the social environment. Consider that in centuries past, when it was socially unpalatable in the UK to introduce an income tax, the government implemented a window tax. As society changed, the window tax was abolished and, eventually, an income tax was introduced. In the same way, as our current society moves towards a state of ‘human disconnection’, our tax system must move with it.
Best of all, a WFH tax does not merely subsidise businesses that have no long-term future. If, for example, a city-centre sandwich shop is no longer needed, it does not make sense for the government to support the business in the medium term. But it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control. Many will have to take low-paid jobs while they retrain or figure out their next step in life. From a personal and economic point of view, it makes sense that these people should be given a helping hand. It also makes sense to recognise that essential workers that assume covid risk for low wages. Those who are lucky enough to be in a position to ‘disconnect’ themselves from the face-to-face economy owe it to them.
Source: Zero Hedge
Top image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-11-11--Investigation: Facial Recognition at Schools is Growing Due to COV*D1984

Derrick Broze breaks down a new investigation from WIRED magazine which reveals the growing use of surveillance and facial recognition @ @ @ @ @ Schools are prisons , free the kids !
Source : Schools Adopt Face Recognition in @ @ @ @ @ From TCR Live # 115 : Election Confusion Distracts from COVID Camps , 5G Threats @ @ @ @ @ the founder of TCRN .
The Conscious Resistance Network is an independent media organization focused @ @ @ @ @ , philosophy , health , and community organizing .
We work to create a world @ @ @ @ @ does not rule over the lives of free human beings .
Subscribe to Activist Post @ @ @ @ @ and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE @ @ @ @ @ , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect @ @ @ @ @ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By The Conscious Resistance
Derrick Broze breaks down a new investigation from WIRED magazine which reveals the growing use of surveillance and facial recognition in response to COVID1984. Schools are prisons, free the kids!
?
Watch on Minds / Flote / Hive / Bitchute / Odysee
Source: Schools Adopt Face Recognition in the Name of Fighting Covid
From TCR Live #115: Election Confusion Distracts from COVID Camps, 5G Threats and Dark Winter
Derrick is the founder of TCRN.
The Conscious Resistance Network is an independent media organization focused on empowering individuals through education, philosophy, health, and community organizing. We work to create a world where corporate and state power does not rule over the lives of free human beings.
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-11-11--In Blow to Online Privacy EU Seizes on Vienna Attack to Enact Long-Desired Ban on Encryption

The European Union is rushing through new legislation to get rid of end-to-end digital encryption .
This would mean the end of privacy for users of popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal .
A European Council draft resolution on encryption quietly published on Friday afternoon lays out the EU ’ s Orwellian position in detail .
“ The European Union fully supports the development , implementation and use of strong encryption , ” it states , “ Encryption is a necessary means of protecting fundamental rights and the digital security of governments , industry and society.
” Yet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At the same time , the European Union needs to ensure the ability of competent authorities ” to “ exercise their lawful powers , both online and offline.
” These “ competent authorities ” ( a phrase occurring throughout the document ) refer to law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities .
“ Protecting the privacy and security of communications through encryption and at the same time upholding the possibility for competent authorities in the area of security and criminal justice to lawfully access relevant data for legitimate , clearly defined purposes infighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including in the digital world , are extremely important , ” it concludes .
Thus , the EU ’ s position is that its citizens should be able to hide their data from criminals , but not from the government or its various spying agencies .
The official justification for these new laws , Austrian public service broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk reports , is the Vienna terrorist attack of November 2 , which left five people dead and 23 injured .
However , it notes , the EU has long dreamed of pushing through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In June , for instance , European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johannson gave a speech outlining what must be done to win the fight against child trafficking and abuse .
“ We must also deal with encryption .
Military grade encryption that ’ s easy to use but impossible to break makes paedophiles invisible and hides evidence of their crimes from police , ” she insisted .
“ It ’ s our obligation to protect children .
We must do what is necessary , ” she added .
Civil rights group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the various arguments put forward by the EU in order to justify the end of end to end encryption , calling it a “ drastically invasive step.
” We are in the first stages of a long anti-encryption march by the upper echelons of the EU , headed directly toward Europeans ’ digital front-doors .
It ’ s the same direction as the United Kingdom , Australia , and the United States have been moving for some time .
If Europe wants to keep its status as a jurisdiction that treasures privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , ” they wrote last month .
WhatsApp , a subsidiary of Facebook , has over 2 billion users around the world and is particularly popular with Europeans .
In terms of user penetration , the top five countries for WhatsApp are all in Europe , with over 85 percent of Dutch smartphone owners using the service .
Commonly thought to be the most secure messaging app , Signal is also extremely popular .
While it does not reveal how many users it has , its app has been downloaded more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Launched in 2014 , Signal is an open source app specifically created with journalists , NGO workers , and other professions who share sensitive data in mind .
And while Facebook and WhatsApp have a history of cooperating with governments around the world , Signal has so far resisted attempts to co-opt or neutralize its software , notably rejecting the Australian government ’ s demands to install a spying “ backdoor ” for it .
Österreichischer Rundfunk alleges that the campaign against encryption is being led by France and President Emmanuel Macron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this has been prepared since 2015 in a whole series of campaigns , ” emanating from Paris , it writes .
This week , Macron will discuss “ further steps against terrorism ” with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz .
While the EU represents just 27 nations and around 450 million people , decisions the body makes have a profound effect on the rest of the world .
Indeed , Friday ’ s European Council document makes this clear , claiming that , “ the EU will leverage its tools and regulatory powers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thus , regulations enforced on tech companies will likely become the standard in many other parts of the world , if not globally .
Last Monday , a lone gunman wearing a fake explosive belt opened fire in the historic center of Vienna , killing four others before police shot him dead .
Authorities stated that the perpetrator , 20-year-old Kujtim Fejzullai , was an ISIS sympathizer .
This is not the first time that terrorist incidents have been used to justify increasing surveillance laws .
Just six weeks after the September 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PATRIOT Act , a piece of legislation that drastically increased the state ’ s ability to spy on its own citizens , even allowing for indefinite detention of non-U.S. citizens .
The act has been continually condemned by rights groups such as the ACLU and Amnesty International .
Likewise , the 7/7 bombings in London led to unprecedented levels of government surveillance in the United Kingdom .
While the latest European laws would increase the level of government pressure on tech companies , the reality is that it is already difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begins .
Facebook , already partners with the Atlantic Council , a NATO cutout organization funded by governments and defense contractors , to help curate its users ’ news feeds .
A senior Twitter executive was found last year to be an undercover British Army officer specializing in online psychological operations .
Meanwhile , last week Zoom appointed former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to its board of directors .
Other communications giants like Microsoft are also huge defense contractors themselves .
While it is likely impossible to ever end terrorism or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end user privacy online .
This latest law would likely do little of the former and a great deal of the latter .
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

By Alan Mcleod
The European Union is rushing through new legislation to get rid of end-to-end digital encryption. This would mean the end of privacy for users of popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal.
A European Council draft resolution on encryption quietly published on Friday afternoon lays out the EU’s Orwellian position in detail. “The European Union fully supports the development, implementation and use of strong encryption,” it states, “Encryption is a necessary means of protecting fundamental rights and the digital security of governments, industry and society.” Yet in the very next sentence it insists that “At the same time, the European Union needs to ensure the ability of competent authorities” to “exercise their lawful powers, both online and offline.” These “competent authorities” (a phrase occurring throughout the document) refer to law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities.
“Protecting the privacy and security of communications through encryption and at the same time upholding the possibility for competent authorities in the area of security and criminal justice to lawfully access relevant data for legitimate, clearly defined purposes infighting serious and/or organized crimes and terrorism, including in the digital world, are extremely important,” it concludes. Thus, the EU’s position is that its citizens should be able to hide their data from criminals, but not from the government or its various spying agencies.
The official justification for these new laws, Austrian public service broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk reports, is the Vienna terrorist attack of November 2, which left five people dead and 23 injured. However, it notes, the EU has long dreamed of pushing through legislation which lets it surveil its population. In June, for instance, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johannson gave a speech outlining what must be done to win the fight against child trafficking and abuse. “We must also deal with encryption. Military grade encryption that’s easy to use but impossible to break makes paedophiles invisible and hides evidence of their crimes from police,” she insisted. “It’s our obligation to protect children. We must do what is necessary,” she added.
Civil rights group the Electronic Freedom Foundation is not impressed by the various arguments put forward by the EU in order to justify the end of end to end encryption, calling it a “drastically invasive step.”
We are in the first stages of a long anti-encryption march by the upper echelons of the EU, headed directly toward Europeans’ digital front-doors. It’s the same direction as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States have been moving for some time. If Europe wants to keep its status as a jurisdiction that treasures privacy, it will need to fight for it,” they wrote last month.
WhatsApp, a subsidiary of Facebook, has over 2 billion users around the world and is particularly popular with Europeans. In terms of user penetration, the top five countries for WhatsApp are all in Europe, with over 85 percent of Dutch smartphone owners using the service. Commonly thought to be the most secure messaging app, Signal is also extremely popular. While it does not reveal how many users it has, its app has been downloaded more than 10 million times by Android users alone. Launched in 2014, Signal is an open source app specifically created with journalists, NGO workers, and other professions who share sensitive data in mind. And while Facebook and WhatsApp have a history of cooperating with governments around the world, Signal has so far resisted attempts to co-opt or neutralize its software, notably rejecting the Australian government’s demands to install a spying “backdoor” for it.
Österreichischer Rundfunk alleges that the campaign against encryption is being led by France and President Emmanuel Macron in particular; “The ground for this has been prepared since 2015 in a whole series of campaigns,” emanating from Paris, it writes. This week, Macron will discuss “further steps against terrorism” with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
While the EU represents just 27 nations and around 450 million people, decisions the body makes have a profound effect on the rest of the world. Indeed, Friday’s European Council document makes this clear, claiming that, “the EU will leverage its tools and regulatory powers to help shape global rules and standards.” Thus, regulations enforced on tech companies will likely become the standard in many other parts of the world, if not globally.
Last Monday, a lone gunman wearing a fake explosive belt opened fire in the historic center of Vienna, killing four others before police shot him dead. Authorities stated that the perpetrator, 20-year-old Kujtim Fejzullai, was an ISIS sympathizer. This is not the first time that terrorist incidents have been used to justify increasing surveillance laws. Just six weeks after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. government rushed through the PATRIOT Act, a piece of legislation that drastically increased the state’s ability to spy on its own citizens, even allowing for indefinite detention of non-U.S. citizens. The act has been continually condemned by rights groups such as the ACLU and Amnesty International. Likewise, the 7/7 bombings in London led to unprecedented levels of government surveillance in the United Kingdom.
While the latest European laws would increase the level of government pressure on tech companies, the reality is that it is already difficult to ascertain where one ends and the other begins. Facebook, already partners with the Atlantic Council, a NATO cutout organization funded by governments and defense contractors, to help curate its users’ news feeds. A senior Twitter executive was found last year to be an undercover British Army officer specializing in online psychological operations. Meanwhile, last week Zoom appointed former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to its board of directors. Other communications giants like Microsoft are also huge defense contractors themselves.
While it is likely impossible to ever end terrorism or child trafficking, it is certainly possible to end user privacy online. This latest law would likely do little of the former and a great deal of the latter.
Source: MintPress News
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.