This doesn’t need any extra comment:
New spy laws comparable to Big Brother
Planned changes for surveillance a step towards totalitarianism, claims professor
New laws to allow spying on New Zealand citizens is a step towards totalitarianism, says a professor of cyber security and forensics.
“The idea of placing innocent citizens under constant surveillance is one definition of totalitarianism,” Hank Wolfe, an associate professor in the Information Science Department of Otago University’s School of Business told the Herald. “It will inhibit free thought and association. This has been demonstrated historically time and again where repressive totalitarian regimes have installed pervasive surveillance to watch citizens.”
Dr Wolfe was responding to Prime Minister John Key’s announcement that the legislation governing the secret service will be extended to allow the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to spy on New Zealanders. The move follows revelations that the agency may have illegally spied on 85 New Zealanders besides Kim Dotcom, a New Zealand resident who was bugged at the request of US agencies. …
Dr Wolfe, a security expert who worked for the US Government before emigrating 35 years ago, said: “Why do we want to allow spying on our citizens? There are people everywhere who are sympathisers of something or other that is unpopular. The whole idea of the law is innocent until proven guilty. Surveilling the innocent – is that what we do to protect anyone or is that what we do in totalitarian society?”
Good to see an academic speaking out. Read the whole article for plenty more.
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