US Air Force Can 'Accidentally' Spy On American Citizens For 90 Days 200
AstroPhilosopher writes "Researchers at the Federation of American Scientists have discovered documentation (PDF) that allows the military to keep footage from drones for up to 90 days to determine whether further investigation is warranted. Besides using footage from natural disasters and monitoring of domestic military bases, all that's truly required is for an operator to 'accidentally' have the camera running while flying."
I can accidentally "spy" with a camera too (Score:5, Interesting)
If I'm in a public setting, I can pull out my camera and take a picture, "spying" on anything in its viewfinder. This is 100% legal. I can also "spy" by taking a photo out of an airplane. Police can do this as well. Out west, we have airplanes which monitor traffic to see if you are vastly exceeding the speed limit, being a "spy" to see how fast you are driving. They even post signs that they do this.
It isn't strange that our military also has the authority to take footage. What is strange, and wonderful, is that our military removes this footage after 90 days. I have many pictures of all sorts of places, with images of fellow tourists accidentally being "spied" on in them. I am keeping these photos forever.
(Note: YMMV. Certain conservative State legislatures are trying to make it illegal to record police, so as to allow the police to cover up any of their criminal acts; however I am confidant that these laws are destined to eventually be fully overturned by the courts.)
I fail to see how this is in any way a terrible thing. The outside is a public setting. Always has been.
Re:NIT (Score:4, Interesting)
Lawyer: So How did you obtain this footage?
Drone Operator: We accidentally left the camera equipment on when we took off from American soil
Lawyer: How many times has this happened?
Drone Operator: Several, in fact I think it happens most times when we launch
Lawyer: What disciplinary action have you received for leaving them on?
Drone Operator: None. I think I read something once that says we aren't supposed to, but out commander tells us to do it anyway
At this point it's pretty obvious that it wouldn't be a case of "accidental" espionage (Disclaimer: IANAL)
It's (maybe) innocuous now.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Does it really matter? The amount of effort required to look into ONE person in footage is huge. Stop being so paranoid everyone. If they looked at footage of me they would see a guy walking down the street..WOW. sometimes I think people are concerned over things like this far to much. Just live your life and chill out!
It's (maybe) innocuous now but in the future it will be abused somehow. Slippery slope and all that - just look at the TSA.
And the other thing is this: the military or the rest of the Government should NOT be spying on American citizens - period. WTF, dude!
Here we (as a people) are saying "Oh, it's not THAT bad." whenever our Government tramples on our civil liberites. And then they take a little more. And we say again, "It's not THAT bad." and they take even more.
Add in the Right Wingers who think Civil Liberties are pinko hippy Liberal values and you have this water covered icy slipery slope headed towards an oppresive society.
All you need is one grunt (a guy with a badge and gun) to dislike you for whatever reason and your life is Hell.
And it gets worse higher up. It really disgusts me that the FBI treated Martin Luther King as a goddamn terrorist. They watched him, they kept a dossier on him, they bugged his phones, and god knows what else - all because he was fighting INJUSTICE in our society. Sure he committed some misdemeanors in his protests, but to be treated and monitored that way? I DON'T THINK SO.
That's the mentality of the grunts (people with badges and guns) - you're a criminal if they don't like you.
And you have no problem with this monitoring?
Shame on you.