Summary Surveillance & Political Dissent Advocates
This investigative article by BuzzFeed News advocates strongly for privacy rights, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression by exposing government surveillance of George Floyd protesters. The reporting frames secret DEA surveillance as governmental overreach that threatens fundamental democratic rights, directly engaging with UDHR Articles 12, 19, and 20. While the editorial content champions human rights, the structural implementation (ad tracking, behavioral targeting) creates tension with the privacy advocacy.
>The DEA is limited by statute to enforcing drug related federal crimes. But on Sunday, Timothy Shea, a former US Attorney and close confidant of Barr who was named acting administrator of the DEA last month, received approval from Associate Deputy Attorney General G. Bradley Weinsheimer to go beyond the agency’s mandate “to perform other law enforcement duties” that Barr may “deem appropriate.”
>> “In August 2013, a report by Reuters revealed that the Special Operations Division (SOD) of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration advises DEA agents to practice parallel construction when creating criminal cases against Americans that are based on NSA warrantless surveillance.”
Hmm... If they want to stop rioting and looting, why are they going after "protestors" rather than the rioters and looters? Someone's torching a mall? No police in sight. People are walking and chanting in the street? That calls for a crowd of 1000 police fully decked out in military gear and tear gas, itching to crush heads.
Is there an easy way to detect fake cell towers? A rooted android maybe? Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re using Stingrays and it would be fun to catch one in the wild.
I wish we had more opportunities to learn about and highlight the kind of tech that could change or strongly affect this sort of narrative.
Tech isn't always the answer, but here we are on HN reading about a frustrating issue, a bunch of spinning wheels in a sense, and we're good at tech as a group.
I don't even know what it would look like, but currently the typical HN community response to this stuff is hyper-perceptive. From "here we go" to "here's what the article says". This alone is far too limited (we're not just here with our popcorn; we want to _do_) and it creates a pattern that can eventually shut out such news because no traction can be gained--what's the point.
IMO we can build communications environments and frameworks that empower ourselves and others to take creative action, even of the sociopolitical type. And if we can't build 'em, we can share and promote the news.
(Some of you are already doing this--thank you, please keep sharing your work)
Barr is one of the most dangerous AG's this country has ever had. He believes in extreme executive power. That "secularism" is evil and the downfall of this country. Worst of all imo, is that he believes that the law enforcement of the federal government is there solely to serve the president. Somehow he still calls himself a conservative.
> If you're wondering why DEA and US Marshal's Service have been given authority to conduct covert surveillance of protestors, it's likely because they have planes outfitted with Dirtboxes - powerful stingray devices that collect data on phones from the air
Good to see that any pretense that the drug war was not just another way to enslave minorities and other undesirables is gone with the current government. Now they're bringing in the veteran warriors who have deep experience suppressing the aforementioned. A more hostile and unnecessary police force than the DEA doesn't exist.
Student leaders were put under close surveillance by the authorities, traffic cameras were used to perform surveillance on the square and the restaurants in the nearby area and where students gathered were wiretapped.[108] This surveillance led to the identification, capture and punishment of participants of the protest.[109] After the massacre, the government did thorough interrogations at work units, institutions and schools to identify who had been at the protest.[110]
There was a post on Reddit where a guy found dozens of cameras hidden on poles that he could access with their IP addresses in browser and even control directly and get live feed into people's homes. Some of those said "Property of DEA". Eventually hundreds of people started accessing with the ip addresses that were listed by the OP and the feed was cut off.
I am starting to wonder if this is what it means to run "government like a business". Corporations are basically authoritarian dictatorships that don't tolerate dissent or only within a narrow range and it seems that government is run the same way.
I think this has more profound history and consequences than people realize.
The DEA for a long time has been slowly transforming into this catch all military/police/spy/logistics/legal/intelligence/technical agency. It picks up little bits of responsibility and capability here and there that enable it to do some function in a drug case. But because the funding of drug law enforcement is so crucial for so many government functions in direct and indirect ways, and because individuals in a position often benefit from an increase in scope the pressure is always towards scope creep, to saying yes when permission for more power is asked.
So the DEA has organically expanded and expanded and expanded and the more this is accepted the easier it is for it to creep further and further until it starts to resemble something totally different than how it would have originally been envisioned.
On the other side of this you get someone like Trump, who is looking for tools he can use that have limited restrictions on their powers and a wide scope of arenas in which they can be deployed, and the DEA is an obvious choice.
An you end up with a very dangerous combo of a person who is looking for as much power as he can grab onto and this entity which is incredibly efficient and capturing scope and power within our current system and therefore extremely ripe for abuse.
This is a great argument for strictly defining the scope of these alphabet soup agencies upfront and making the process to change those scopes very restrictive. Unfortunately we've chosen the exact opposite path.
This situation reminds me the beginning of the pandemic: everybody thought it's just a couple cases here and there and would resolve by itself quickly. This won't resolve quickly, partially because the current sketchy administration really needs this kind of protest to justify using more force and implementing the global survelliance - something they've been wanting for long time.
I'm not sure what the US administration is doing, but I won't be surprised if they are going to manage this as good as the virus pandemic, i.e. that they are completely oblivious to what's happening and what to do with it.
Since it's not in my interests to find one day an angry mob at my house, I'm tempted to give some advice regarding the "crowd management". The nation is like a bowl with liquid: the bowl is the borders that contain it and emotions is the force that drives the liquid particles. The exact equation describing this liquid doesn't matter much. What matters is that just like any liquid like substances contained in something, it has resonance modes and resonance frequencies. If there is an external periodic driving force (emotions in our case), the frequency of the force is going to find one of the resonance modes and once the mode is found, the amplitude grows exponentially. Time to find this mode depends on the strength (amplitude) of the driving force. The way to prevent or even stop the resonance is to keep changing the driving frequency: then the liquid forms steady patterns.
ah the old catchall "other duties," often used to abuse employees into doing work outside of their employed scope which would have been a higher pay grade if it were part of the job description.
How can we repair a system that's been systematically corrupted over several years? As a systems engineer my instinct is to rebuild the system from the ground up. If only politics was that simple.
That’s because the FBI was investigating them and their buddies. For Trump it’s not about principles, it’s about power and what they can get away with.
They don't care about rioting or looting. Watch how the police have been arranged, in Los Angeles at least. They are there to make the protest seem dangerous, while intentionally allowing looting to go on 2 streets over.
The idea is to allow scary looking but ultimately meaningless damage to occur while blaming it on protestors.
This is so completely fucked. I always worry about sounding hyperbolic, but I really do wonder these days if we’re living through the last days of the American republic.
You don’t need to be rooted for basic searching. Back when I ran android I found an app that would alert when you connect to a tower not in the database. I think it was called AIMSICD but it’s been a while.
I think you would need to deploy more advanced techniques to be sure though.
Secularism (the sharing of religious space in a pluralistic society) is not a particularly unifying perspective among American Christians so it's not very surprising. For American Christians, secularism is a fancy word for "forfeit the power in your hands."
What exactly do you want to empower people to do? Loot Louis Vuitton and Walmart in the name of stopping police brutality? This violence isn't good for anybody and needs to stop.
Well I just learned about a website today that gives the list of the police who have been sued and their names and records. [1]
I think maybe a better use of the public outrage of cancel-culture might be to direct that call-out energy from celebrities to police that commit manslaughter.
Next step might be getting pictures on such a website.
As opposed to all the other conservative AG's and administration figures throughout history, right? I mean, clearly the Bush administration didn't preside over any sweeping expansions of executive law enforcement authority, right? And the Regan-era "war on drugs" was clearly an outlier...
This is the most truly scottish of true scotsman arguments. It comes up every time someone reaches a breaking point where they can't apologize for a republican administration. And the best they can come up with is that somehow they aren't "conservative".
To task the DEA with this action is a direct affront to everything the movement asks for.
The war on drugs was a direction action against blacks, to task the DEA with oversight in response to the murder by racist cops is to both acknowledge and turn down any complaint that we may have had.
We knew years ago that the DEA has cameras all over the place. They do things like hide them in traffic control devices and read license plates with them. They analyze the traffic to look for drug mules and pass off tips to local police so they can execute parallel construction and hide the real source of the evidence. We all talked about it and, like most big brother shit, no one cared and we all moved on. Glad the kids are rediscovering it.
I've seen a lot of cessna-style aircraft circling over south seattle at low altitude in the last few days - no visible camera - I bet that's what they're being used for.
Contact your local chapter of Black Lives Matter (or a different social justice group if you prefer) -- thats the besr way. The more we technologists can engage directly with the organizations and communities, the higher the odds we will be sble to build something that meets a real need.
Clearly Trump and his accomplices are huge fans and admirers of Chinese methods. And they've only just started.
Editorial Channel
What the content says
+0.92
Article 12Privacy
High Advocacy Framing
Editorial
+0.92
SETL
+0.50
CORE provision. Article is primarily about government surveillance violating privacy. Title and framing center privacy violation as key grievance.
Observable Facts
Article headline centers 'secretly surveil' as primary violation.
Article tags include 'surveillance' and 'dea protest surveillance' as primary topics.
BuzzFeed's infrastructure includes Watson targeting, affiliate tracking, and third-party ad pixels.
Page contains cookie consent banner indicating data collection awareness.
Inferences
Article's central message is government surveillance violates personal privacy rights.
Structural ad/tracking infrastructure creates SETL tension: site advocates for privacy while collecting behavioral data from readers.
The contradiction between content advocacy and structural practice suggests institutional privacy compromise.
+0.92
Article 19Freedom of Expression
High Advocacy Framing Practice
Editorial
+0.92
SETL
+0.45
CORE provision. Article exercises freedom of expression by reporting on protests. Simultaneously advocates for protesters' freedom to express dissent without surveillance. Bylined reporting demonstrates editorial freedom.
Observable Facts
Article is freely published without government interference or editorial suppression.
Authors are bylined (Jason Leopold, Anthony Cormier), indicating individual editorial accountability.
Article tags include 'protest' and 'dea protest surveillance', naming dissent as legitimate subject.
Multiple sharing options enable readers to amplify the expression.
Inferences
Investigative reporting on government surveillance of expression exercises Article 19 rights directly.
Free publication and byline indicate institutional commitment to freedom of expression.
The article advocates for protesters' freedom of expression against government monitoring.
+0.92
Article 20Assembly & Association
High Advocacy Framing
Editorial
+0.92
SETL
+0.45
CORE provision. Article is about government surveillance of peaceful assembly. Frames protest as legitimate democratic activity worthy of protection from government monitoring. Advocates for right to assemble without fear.
Article tags include 'protest' and '2020protests', identifying assembly as central topic.
Title frames surveillance as threat to protesters, implying assembly should be protected.
Inferences
Article advocates that peaceful assembly should occur free from government surveillance.
The investigative reporting serves to protect assembly rights by exposing threats to them.
Framing surveillance as 'secret' implies government is circumventing democratic constraints on monitoring assembly.
+0.80
Article 8Right to Remedy
High Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.80
SETL
+0.40
Investigative journalism serves as remedy and accountability mechanism for government rights violations. Exposing government abuse enables legal and public recourse.
Observable Facts
Article is investigative reporting by named journalists, suggesting fact-gathering and verification.
Article includes 'viral' badge, indicating public sharing and engagement infrastructure.
Investigative disclosure functions as remedy by exposing government overreach to public scrutiny.
The sharing infrastructure enables readers to pursue remedies by mobilizing political and legal action.
+0.75
PreamblePreamble
High Advocacy Framing
Editorial
+0.75
SETL
+0.42
Article advocates for dignity, freedom, and justice by exposing government surveillance overreach. Title and framing emphasize state abuse of authority targeting peaceful protesters.
Observable Facts
Article headline explicitly states 'DEA Can Secretly Surveil George Floyd Protesters'.
Article is freely accessible without paywall on BuzzFeed News.
Page contains tracking pixels, analytics integration, and Watson-based ad targeting.
Inferences
The investigative framing advocates against government overreach and for accountability, aligning with Preamble values.
Free access model supports Preamble principles of universal human dignity by enabling broad public knowledge.
+0.75
Article 9No Arbitrary Detention
High Advocacy Framing
Editorial
+0.75
SETL
+0.39
Directly addresses arbitrary surveillance as pretext for arbitrary detention. Frames surveillance as threat to freedom from government abuse.
Observable Facts
Article title emphasizes 'secretly' surveil, suggesting lack of transparent legal process.
DEA authorization to 'investigate' protesters implies surveillance can lead to arrest or detention.
Inferences
Secret surveillance implies absence of due process protections against arbitrary detention.
Government monitoring of protesters creates conditions for arbitrary arrest.
+0.75
Article 30No Destruction of Rights
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.75
SETL
+0.39
Article advocates that government should not use its authority to undermine rights. Explicitly opposes government power being weaponized against protesters.
Observable Facts
Article focuses on government agency using authority to monitor political dissent.
Framing implies government authority is being misused against rights-holders.
Inferences
Article advocates for limits on government power to prevent destruction of fundamental rights.
Exposure of surveillance apparatus serves to prevent government abuse of authority.
+0.70
Article 21Political Participation
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.70
SETL
+0.37
Surveillance of political protest undermines democratic participation. Article advocates for ability to engage in politics without fear of government monitoring.
Observable Facts
Article involves political protest and government response, touching democratic participation.
George Floyd protests were motivated by democratic demands for police accountability.
Inferences
Government surveillance of protest chills democratic participation by creating political risk.
Article's exposure enables informed voting and civic engagement.
+0.65
Article 3Life, Liberty, Security
High Advocacy Framing
Editorial
+0.65
SETL
+0.36
Directly addresses threats to liberty and security from unaccountable surveillance. Exposes government authority used to threaten protesters' fundamental security.
Observable Facts
Article details government agency capability and authorization to surveil citizens.
Framing emphasizes 'secret' surveillance as violation of transparent governance.
Inferences
Exposure of surveillance capability frames government action as threat to liberty and security.
The article implies protesters' security interests are compromised by covert state monitoring.
+0.65
Article 10Fair Hearing
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.65
SETL
+0.36
Surveillance data obtained without transparent process raises fair trial concerns. Article implies government may use covert surveillance to prosecute protesters.
Observable Facts
Article implies surveillance data may be used in legal proceedings against protesters.
Inferences
Secret surveillance raises fair trial concerns if data is used in prosecution.
+0.60
Article 11Presumption of Innocence
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.60
SETL
+0.35
Surveillance of protesters presumes guilt or suspicion; article opposes this inversion of presumption of innocence.
Observable Facts
Article frames surveillance as government treating protesters as suspects rather than citizens.
Inferences
Preemptive surveillance contradicts presumption of innocence by treating protesters as security threats.
+0.55
Article 1Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.55
SETL
+0.29
Implicitly affirms equal dignity of protesters by treating their rights violations as newsworthy. Frames protesters as rights-holders, not criminals.
Observable Facts
Article centers protesters as subjects worthy of rights protection, not as objects of suspicion.
Inferences
Reportage on protest rights suggests editorial commitment to equality before law.
+0.50
Article 7Equality Before Law
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.50
SETL
+0.27
Surveillance targeted at protesters raises equal protection concerns; government selectively monitors dissent rather than applying protections equally.
Observable Facts
Article specifically names surveillance of protesters, implying differential treatment of political expression.
Inferences
Selective government surveillance of protesters suggests unequal protection under law.
+0.50
Article 18Freedom of Thought
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.50
SETL
+0.27
Surveillance chills freedom of conscience and thought. Article implies monitoring of protesters constrains their ability to form and express independent beliefs.
Observable Facts
Article implies government surveillance of protesters affects their political thought and belief formation.
Inferences
Surveillance presences constrain freedom of conscience by creating self-censorship pressure.
+0.50
Article 28Social & International Order
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.50
SETL
+0.27
Article implicitly invokes international human rights framework by defending rights to assembly, expression, and privacy. Appeals to universal principles against government overreach.
Observable Facts
Article frames protest rights as fundamental, invoking universal rather than merely national interests.
Inferences
Reportage on universal rights suggests invocation of international order framework.
+0.35
Article 29Duties to Community
Medium Advocacy
Editorial
+0.35
SETL
+0.19
Article questions whether government surveillance is legitimate limitation on rights. Frames security rationale for surveillance as overreach rather than justified limitation.
Observable Facts
Article does not present government security justifications for surveillance; frames surveillance as threat rather than protection.
Inferences
The absence of counterarguments suggests article rejects surveillance as valid limitation on rights.
+0.30
Article 2Non-Discrimination
Low
Editorial
+0.30
SETL
+0.17
No explicit discussion of discrimination or protected characteristics; George Floyd protests involved diverse participants but article does not emphasize anti-discrimination theme.
Observable Facts
Article does not explicitly address discrimination or protected categories.
+0.25
Article 6Legal Personhood
Low
Editorial
+0.25
SETL
+0.11
Surveillance presumes government authority to classify protesters; minimal engagement with legal personhood theme.
+0.20
Article 5No Torture
Low
Editorial
+0.20
SETL
+0.10
Surveillance infrastructure can facilitate torture/abuse, but article does not explicitly address this concern.
+0.20
Article 13Freedom of Movement
Low
Editorial
+0.20
SETL
+0.10
Surveillance can restrict movement, but article does not explicitly address freedom of movement.