(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #232 - Monitoring: Coupons big ears (fr)

Snowden's revelations have highlighted the extent of surveillance which citizens are 
subject. Far from being confined to a few individuals "suspects", spy programs devour 
every day more data. But alternatives emerge. ---- Disgusted by the systematic monitoring, 
Edward Snowden, a former CIA agent and NSA, contact the Guardian to confirm that the 
United States is trying to monitor most electronic exchanges that pass through the planet. 
With proven strength, journalists begin to describe the enormous resources implemented, 
using all the techniques of hacking available. What also surprises, besides the means 
used, is that government agencies seem determined to build, in the case of the United 
States, a data center in Utah that should be able to eventually store the all Internet 
traffic for many years.

Nobody knows by whom or how analyzed the gigantic mass of data. But no matter, the records 
will be ready when a citizen "deviant" has been spotted. If one wonders what solutions 
adopted, some have already taken the lead for the defense of privacy.

Discretion = Logout

It is currently difficult to assess the degree of compromise of electronic exchanges but 
we know that both the hardware manufacturers that access or software manufacturers 
suppliers are involved. What goes through their channels is rarely confidential. Some and 
some are fighting against this fact. This is the case of collective Riseup: his 
outstanding work promoting for several years the values ??of sharing knowledge, horizontal 
decision-making and equality. It provides systems and email list much more secure and 
anonymous than most similar services. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is currently being 
developed and a system of collaborative platform to allow users to continue to conduct 
their activities without directly inform the police first question. However, the use of 
these tools is not enough to guarantee anonymity, blur its location requires the use of 
Proxy, these systems greatly slowing surfing (like the Tor network) servers. These 
"annoyances" are the price to pay for those who wish to exchange freely and this from a 
landline configured correctly. It also requires no exchange of information via mobile 
phone, let alone the smartphone, real spy worn with consent.

Securing network traffic is extremely energy resources and time. In addition to these 
technical precautions vigilance to ensure that what is transmitted does not compromise 
others. In the end the direct exchange through meetings is still the safest way 
communication and that it may be welcomed.

Nico (AL Paris North East)