If there’s one show we religiously watch on HBO every week besides Game of Thrones right now, it’s VICE. The series does a lot of investigative reports that help us learn about the world around us. Sometimes we wish the segments were longer, but they still do a great job.
One episode that had us thinking twice about this Internet shit was a few weeks ago when they had Edward Snowden talk about the State of Surveillance live from Russia.
On the episode, he talks about how the government has been trying to track us all through the NSA whether Apple of Android gives them permission or not. Of course, they use the name of terrorism to justify it all from happening, but the worst part about it is they do it under our nose without anyone knowing. They have spent millions of dollars and resources making it happen.
Now, any Joe Schmo with certain software and equipment can make it happen too.
They showed how easy it was to track activity on the phone by hacking into one of their reporter’s devices while he was out on assignment. They could hear every phone call, read every text and map out the location of where he was traveling.
Snowden also gave a little insight on how you can go black if you want and explained some of the lies the Director of National Intelligence told to Congress and why these agencies have not been known to stop a single attacks as of yet. Even after two independent commissions concluded that these programs should end and suggested points that should restrict the use of these powers, nothing has been done to change things.
It’ll definitely make you think twice about what you do online on social networks.