Should we worry about spying?
The growth of internet, Facebook and other social media has meant that our lives are no longer private. But it is only recently, since the revelations by the former US government employee Edward Snowden, that we have come to realise the scale of surveillance by governments.
Technology has allowed collection of massive amounts of our information. Spy agencies have direct access to Google, Apple, Facebook and Yahoo data, they can intercept phone and data on fibreoptic cables and satellites, monitor banking and credit card information and collect millions of text messages daily.
The information is ostensibly for countering terrorism but it can be misused. Safeguards are crucial. It is not only repressive governments that misuse secret information, but also countries like New Zealand. The legal case against Kim Dotcom revealed that the government not only illegally spied on him, but also illegally spied on 88 other New Zealanders.
The Prime Minister has promised to resign if there is mass surveillance on New Zealand citizens, which would be against the law. But it now appears that it is the US National Security Agency (NSA) that is collecting information on us, rather than the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). This enables our government to claim that they are not undertaking mass surveillance.
Revelations show that the Five Eyes members (US, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand) have also been spying on their allies and trading partners. The information collected includes tapping the phones of Heads of State and the UN Secretary-General. New Zealand is alleged to be spying on Pacific islands and Asian nations, including India and China. This is not a good way to build trust and trading partnerships.
And it now appears that it is not only governments that are targeted, but also energy, finance and airline companies. Canada has been accused of spying on the Brazilian Mines and Energy agency in a case of industrial espionage.
It was the Nazi Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels who said, “If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear". That was not true then and it is not true now. The Green Party is calling for an independent inquiry on allegations of spying on New Zealanders, greater transparency about the collection of information, stronger safeguards on its use, and far stronger Parliamentary oversight.
Barry Coates was a candidate for Mt. Roskill in the election and is 16th on the Green Party list.
The growth of internet, Facebook and other social media has meant that our lives are no longer private. But it is only recently, since the revelations by the former US government employee Edward Snowden, that we have come to realise the scale of surveillance by governments.
Technology has allowed...
The growth of internet, Facebook and other social media has meant that our lives are no longer private. But it is only recently, since the revelations by the former US government employee Edward Snowden, that we have come to realise the scale of surveillance by governments.
Technology has allowed collection of massive amounts of our information. Spy agencies have direct access to Google, Apple, Facebook and Yahoo data, they can intercept phone and data on fibreoptic cables and satellites, monitor banking and credit card information and collect millions of text messages daily.
The information is ostensibly for countering terrorism but it can be misused. Safeguards are crucial. It is not only repressive governments that misuse secret information, but also countries like New Zealand. The legal case against Kim Dotcom revealed that the government not only illegally spied on him, but also illegally spied on 88 other New Zealanders.
The Prime Minister has promised to resign if there is mass surveillance on New Zealand citizens, which would be against the law. But it now appears that it is the US National Security Agency (NSA) that is collecting information on us, rather than the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). This enables our government to claim that they are not undertaking mass surveillance.
Revelations show that the Five Eyes members (US, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand) have also been spying on their allies and trading partners. The information collected includes tapping the phones of Heads of State and the UN Secretary-General. New Zealand is alleged to be spying on Pacific islands and Asian nations, including India and China. This is not a good way to build trust and trading partnerships.
And it now appears that it is not only governments that are targeted, but also energy, finance and airline companies. Canada has been accused of spying on the Brazilian Mines and Energy agency in a case of industrial espionage.
It was the Nazi Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels who said, “If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear". That was not true then and it is not true now. The Green Party is calling for an independent inquiry on allegations of spying on New Zealanders, greater transparency about the collection of information, stronger safeguards on its use, and far stronger Parliamentary oversight.
Barry Coates was a candidate for Mt. Roskill in the election and is 16th on the Green Party list.
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