Global Surveillance Market of 5B.

Now being reported widely (5, 6, 7), Wikileaks and partners have documented an international market in computer, cellphone, and GPS surveillance software that can and has be used by governments for the use of tracking down dissidents. Muammar Qaddafi is the poster child, at the moment, but the practice is widespread, as indicated on this interactive map.

I have a friend who jokingly teased me for imagining that governments could possibly care what I say or who I call. When it is this easy, though, it would seem almost perverse for them to deny themselves the opportunity, unless, of course, there were laws around it. Unsurprisingly, what lawful access requirements do currently exist are being undermined (Says Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner) in favour of unrestricted (2011 ABCA 94 (CanLII)) snooping ( see last year’s bills C-50, 51 and 52 which have been re-appearing since 2005).