https://www.arafel.co.uk/2024/02/the-death-of-british-liberalism.html
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I canāt access this unless I sign in as being over 18 - does this mean no kids can get a decent education!
Cheers
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Tonnes of interesting stuff there Gerard. Iām just going to focus on one of the issues raised, which is that a lot of IT systems used by UK Gov are not supported, in other words no security patches or updates are available. (This is an issue in other sectors too)
This contravenes their own Cybersecurity guidelines at the very least. Any hardware that canāt be hardened against attack is supposed to be replaced, likewise software and firmware. This helps the likes of Microsoft and other vendors to ensure the built-in obsolescence of their products, and enables organisations of every kind to kick out their older more experienced (and better paid) employees because whatās the point in retaining ālegacyā product knowledge if youāve got to chuck everything away every few years?
This means that hardware and other backdoors become more and more prevalent (this is at the level of the CPU with Intel chips) and State grip on information, including commercially sensitive data, is firmer. That same logic led to the banning of Huawei routers, servers, etc.
So: I agree that monitoring bank accounts is a cynical power grab, and it will in due course be extended to less easily bullied members of society. But even if it isnāt, the prevalence of backdoor snooping via home computers and smartphones mops up pretty nearly everybody else. (The targeted groups are very probably the most determined to keep using paper money, I surmise. No hard evidence, but your experience of the death of Post Office services, for example, is not an unfortunate drawback but a design feature of Surveillance Capitalism).
Switching off the WiFi part of your internet connection is a good idea in terms of reducing exposure to radiation. In terms of improving privacy, probably not so much.
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Ha! I hadnāt thought of thatā¦Iām just trying to cover my arse for swearing etc.
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At least they canāt follow me about esp. if I disguise myself and use cash! Disavows me from demos though I am to believeā¦still got to do some work on the Public Order Bill to know whatās whatā¦is it now illegal to cover your face on demos?
Whereās the G?
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24048602.west-end-residents-take-stand-ageas-bowl-development/
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Iām not sure itās illegal but, yes, it seems that people on certain demos (you know, those āHate Marchesā) could be open to prosecution for concealing their identity. But what about all those covid germsā¦?
Until I decided to brave it bare-faced I did wear a keffiyeh wrapped around my head ISIS style during the flu-dāetat restrictions. Met the āguidelinesā after all. (Amongst my oldest garments: I mail-ordered from the Oxfam catalogue mid-eighties and was accidentally sent two. You can rest assured that nothing else thatās forty years old fits me lol)
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