How many hick sheriffs or local party bosses or nosy night staff are likely to make unauthorized use of this Congressionally mandated snoop-n-peep technology against boy – and girlfriends, family members, personal enemies, business competitors, and – most dangerously – political opponents?
Predictor: Warren, Jim
Prediction, in context:Jim Warren made the following statement in reaction to the fast-track passage of H.R. 4922 the “Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act” (called by some the “digital telephony bill” and labeled by its opponents as the “FBI’s wire-tap bill”) which provided rules for the “interception of digital and other communications,” in 1994. The law directed that all telecommunications companies make their networks tappable withing in the next four years. The intent of the legislation, passed by the Senate and signed by President Clinton, was to aid law enforcement, but it included the phrase “and other lawful authorization,” raising privacy questions. ”How many thousands of federal, state, and local agencies does H.R. 4922’s ‘government’ include? How many tens of thousands of … [officials] will have authorized access to this pervasive surveillance power? How many thousands of political appointees control those agencies – and are controlled by incumbent politicians? How many hick sheriffs or local party bosses or nosy night staff are likely to make unauthorized use of this Congressionally mandated snoop-n-peep technology against boy – and girlfriends, family members, personal enemies, business competitors, and – most dangerously – political opponents?”
Biography:Jim Warren was the founding editor of Dr. Dobbs’ Journal, a publication about high-tech, and was the founder/organizer of the West Coast Computer Faire. He was active in networking in the 1980s and by 1992 had organized the First Computers, Freedom and Privacy Conference and set up the first online public dialogue link with the California legislature. When he won an EFF Pioneer Award in 1992, he was noted as being “instrumental in assuring that rights common to older mediums and technologies are extended to computer networking.” (Pioneer/Originator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Privacy/Surveillance
Name of publication: Midwest Today
Title, headline, chapter name: Shocking New Assaults on Your Privacy: Big Brother is Watching, and He’s Probably Got Your Number
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.midtod.com/highlights/privacy.phtml
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney