The Conservative Cave
Current Events => Politics => Topic started by: TheSarge on August 01, 2009, 06:51:11 AM
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(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46140000/jpg/_46140047_sign_ap226b.jpg)
Say what you want about the Fox News Channel's Glenn Beck and his antics, but to give credit where credit is due, he exposed some disturbing language from the Obama administration's "Cash for Clunker" program Web site Cars.gov.
Beck on his July 31 program hosted a segment about the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) Web site, also known as "Cash for Clunkers" and demonstrated what a Web browser would encounter when logging on to the system.
"Here is Cars.gov. Let's say you go in, if I understand this right - I go in and I say, ‘I want to turn in my clunker.' The dealer goes to Cars.gov, and then they hit submit transaction. Here it says, ‘Privacy Act & Security Statement,' and you're just like, ‘Oh, it's the Privacy Act of 1974. Whatever, I agree. Now, this is how bad this system is."
However, once the Web operator proceeds beyond that point in the dealers section - the government has some very frightening language about what authority they have over your computer posted, as Beck reported. Ordinary consumers wouldn't encounter this warning, but the information contained in the dealer's computers might include theirs.
"A warning box comes up, and it says, ‘This application provides to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a federal computer system and it is property of the United States government,'" Beck read. "‘Any and all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, DoT and law enforcement personnel, as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.'"
"Good God almighty!" Beck said.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a legal analyst for Fox News interpreted the language to mean the government has very broad authority over your computer - including the ability to seize personal and private information.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2009/07/31/beck-exposes-cash-clunkers-language-giving-feds-authority-take-control-co
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Thou shall not question Teh Wun.
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Panic button stuff, you'd get something similar connecting to any other Fed network where you could actually input into a DB instead of being a read-only user, and it's been that way for quite awhile. Over-reaction like this is why Beck has a hard time being taken seriously.
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Panic button stuff, you'd get something similar connecting to any other Fed network where you could actually input into a DB instead of being a read-only user, and it's been that way for quite awhile. Over-reaction like this is why Beck has a hard time being taken seriously.
To be honest, if I saw that pop-up warning, my finger would be hitting the power button. Can you give any examples where that can be checked out? I'm always curious about that stuff.
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To be honest, if I saw that pop-up warning, my finger would be hitting the power button. Can you give any examples where that can be checked out? I'm always curious about that stuff.
DAT is right. I looked into it and a lot of .gov websites have that disclaimer. It's not that they're trying to get into your computer, just warning that you don't want to screw with theirs.
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When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a federal computer system and it is property of the United States government
Maybe I'm being paranoid, but this language sounds like they are claiming ownership of private property (the computer).
When I log in to Army Knowledge Online, which is a .mil, from my home computer, there is a warning:
YOU ARE ACCESSING A U.S. GOVERNMENT (USG) INFORMATION SYSTEM (IS) THAT IS PROVIDED FOR USG-AUTHORIZED USE ONLY.
By using this IS (which includes any device attached to this IS), you consent to the following conditions:
The USG routinely intercepts and monitors communications on this IS for purposes including, but not limited to, penetration testing, COMSEC monitoring, network operations and defense, personnel misconduct (PM), law enforcement (LE), and counterintelligence (CI) investigations.
At any time, the USG may inspect and seize data stored on this IS.
Communications using, or data stored on, this IS are not private, are subject to routine monitoring, interception, and search, and may be disclosed or used for any USG-authorized purpose.
This IS includes security measures (e.g., authentication and access controls) to protect USG interests--not for your personal benefit or privacy.
Notwithstanding the above, using this IS does not constitute consent to PM, LE or CI investigative searching or monitoring of the content of privileged communications, or work product, related to personal representation or services by attorneys, psychotherapists, or clergy, and their assistants. Such communications and work product are private and confidential. See User Agreement for details.
That warning seems to be a little more specific to just the AKO system, and does not claim ownership over computers that connect to it.
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AKO/DKO is a different kettle of fish, and you probably don't have the privileges to put anything into an Army DB on an Army server through it.
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Panic button stuff, you'd get something similar connecting to any other Fed network where you could actually input into a DB instead of being a read-only user, and it's been that way for quite awhile. Over-reaction like this is why Beck has a hard time being taken seriously.
I don't view it as an over reaction at all. The wording of that "warning" is concerning to say the least IMO, if it actually says what was posted.
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I don't view it as an over reaction at all. The wording of that "warning" is concerning to say the least IMO, if it actually says what was posted.
Good thing you're not a car dealer trying to input a C4C transaction, then.
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Yup...
Good thing.
But then again, I am a person that distrusts those currently in the government.
I always will be.
Why?
They have given us a long list of reasons to doubt them. The Fed has spent decades attempting to undermine our rights regardless of what party in is control of it. I have no use for most of them.
I am a soveriegn citizen. I don't trust or respect anyone that attempts to disgard or undermine that.
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AKO/DKO is a different kettle of fish, and you probably don't have the privileges to put anything into an Army DB on an Army server through it.
The warning I get before accessing the medical database to input vaccination and readiness info is pretty much the same as the AKO one.
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The government doesn't have a single unified way of doing things, doc. The warnings DISC4 has Army sites put up are going to be entirely different than a site DOJ, Commerce, Homeland Security, etc. puts up, and they aren't going to be all that much like each other, either.