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Surveillance – here’s looking at you, kid (safety)
Ray Shaw
Cybershack
5 March 2025
https://cybershack.com.au/consumer-advice/surveillance-heres-looking-at-you-kid-safety/
[ An excellent review of the state of play.
[ I'm embarrassed to say that Ray Shaw hasn't been on my radar:
https://cybershack.com.au/news/cybershack-snags-ray-shaw/
[ Among his reviews of gadgetry are many in the surveillance space:
https://cybershack.com.au/author/rayshaw/ ]
Surveillance was simple in 1942 when Humphry Bogart spoke those enduring
words to Ingrid Bergman. There was none apart from wiretaps, hidden
microphones in every government building and ‘reds under the bed’.
Cybercriminals Hire Locals to Spy on You. Readers were horrified to
think that criminals and cybercriminals hired a network of watchers to
collect information to qualify targets for crime. The inspiration for
this article came from How Privacy Concerns Are Shaping the Future of
City Surveillance and extensive research.
As I write this, I am saddened that both sanctioned and covert
surveillance now is so intrusive that privacy has ceased to exist, even
in the sanctity of our own homes. When you mix surveillance (in its many
forms) with AI, you get a virtual Armageddon – Arm-a-geddon out of here!
Hopefully, this article will help reduce your surveillance and increase
privacy.
How you are surveilled in the physical world
We covered watchers—observers—in the first article, but private
investigators and undercover law enforcement have also been added to the
‘dumpster divers’. Add in well-meaning neighbourhood watch groups, and
there is still a lot of purposeful human observation.
CCTV (Closed-Circuit TV cameras): These have been used since the 1960s.
Initially installed to monitor traffic and crime blackspots, they are
now everywhere. All levels of Government can install interconnected
cameras on public property with impunity. City-wide camera networks on
buses, taxis, trains, and streets are commonplace.
Private home security cameras: You can see why so much crime video
footage makes it to the TV news. There is essentially no law against
using these. In the US, Amazon’s Ring provided footage to law
enforcement until public outcry saw this discontinued in January 2024.
Dashcams: Ditto; why does so much road accident footage make the TV news?
Workplace cameras: Monitoring is legal, provided staff are informed.
Private areas like toilets are prohibited.
Continued
Retail stores, pubs, and clubs use surveillance camera monitoring and
face ID. Any business can install security cameras and implement face
ID. All that is required is a plain-view entry sign advising shoppers.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner confirms it is
legal. The key issue is whether collecting biometric information is
necessary to perform a particular shop function, e.g., reducing
shoplifting, enforcing entry bans, etc.
Bodycams: Now approved for use by front-line responders and networked to
AI, make surveillance up close and personal.
Drones with cameras: Now extensively used to patrol suburbs and pursue
criminals. While there are CASA rules for recreational drones, they
don’t apply to Government agencies. In short, someone can fly a drone
over your home or down your street with impunity.
Then there are the sensors: These quietly detect motion and noise
levels, often directing nearby 360° pan and tilt CCTV to get a closer
look. Many are part of the new generation of streetlights.
New internet-connected EVs, smart cars, or the speed and mobile phone
cameras.
Let’s not forget Meta/Ray Ban spy glasses.
Surveillance
Enter the 2020s, and Surveillance is on steroids
Collecting all this video and audio is a fact of life, but the end goal
has changed. In the past, this was pretty much unstructured data that
gave human operators indications that some action should be taken.
First, let’s return to the 2000s and the US FBI’s Carnivore system. It
could ‘packet sniff’ (a euphemism for making a copy) every digital
email, SMS/RCS, and phone call made through the Telco networks. It was
made possible by the simple move from analogue to digital transmission.
These 0s and 1s allowed real-time message reconstruction and keyword
searches. Added to that was the hidden metadata of the device that sent
the message (location, number dialled, time, etc).
Computing power was insufficient for real-time analysis, but it was
enough to search for keywords to help identify suspect communications.
It was the successor to long-forgotten surveillance programs called
PRISM, ECHELON, Sentient, Omnivore and many more before and after that.
Every world government has a surveillance system for email and calls at
home and globally.
Today, that concept is on steroids. Massive cloud storage, gigantic
server farms, almost infinite computing power and now AI means no
message escapes. But it is not just messages; it is all those video
images, every transmission (even CB-radio), and so much more that are
tracked and can be accessed for probable cause.
AI-driven video analytic solutions are taking security teams and video
management systems to new heights of efficiency, precision,
responsiveness, and insights.
“This technology doesn’t just strip its targets of anonymity but also
allows for new forms of tracking, making it possible to collect
information about people’s movements throughout the course of the day,
including, for example, which shops, clinics, or homes they visit, and
when – and all the personal information that might be inferred from this
activity.” Monash University.
Minority report is real
The 2002 film starring Tom Cruise, set in 2054, is now real. In it, Tom
has to apprehend people who have not yet committed a crime but whom AI
‘precogs’ have identified as likely to do so.
surveillance
AI can single out people in crowds and is being used to predict their
moods and behaviour, with significant concerns about profiling and
discrimination. Once targeted, AI can track these persons of interest
via a huge city-wide network that includes cameras, credit card
machines, ATMs, and public transport.
surveillance
The biggest spy is in your pocket
No tissues can’t spy, but your smartphone can. Location data is gathered
from the SIM, Bluetooth beacons, public Wi-Fi, GPS and mobile data. Why?
Even if you turn these things off, many phone apps can track you and
phone home when they get a connection.
This applies to tablets, computers, smart speakers, IoT devices, TVs,
and more, where precise location is often the default. Don’t forget that
these have web tracking and usually cameras and microphones.
Behavioural data is gathered every time you use NFC to pay. AIs can
assist with tax office surveillance, getting bank loans, and anything
requiring a credit rating.
And yes, law enforcement can use it to track you, listen to
conversations and read emails/SMS, much to the sorrow of criminals using
the ANOM app.
Legislators point to the greater good overruling the right to privacy
Having painted the blackest picture of the massive privacy invasions,
authorities simply say that surveillance is necessary for:
Crime reduction: Decreases in property and violent crimes, as visible
surveillance deters offenders and aids law enforcement in solving cases
more quickly.
Public event safety: AI systems help monitor large-scale events, like
the 2024 Paris Olympics, by detecting crowding, identifying risks, and
enabling rapid responses to potential threats.
Efficiency and cost savings: IoT-enabled devices optimise city
operations, such as smart crosswalks in Singapore that adjust signal
timing based on pedestrian flow, reducing congestion and accidents.
Improved urban planning: Surveillance data informs better infrastructure
design, such as enhancing traffic flow or guiding the placement of
public transportation and bike lanes.
Emergency management: Surveillance systems help coordinate responses to
natural disasters or large-scale emergencies by providing real-time data
on affected areas.
Enhanced resource allocation: Data from sensors and cameras allows
cities to pinpoint inefficiencies, such as reducing energy waste through
smarter streetlights or improving garbage collection routes.
Who watches the watchers?
The authorities universally ignore this embarrassing ethical question
for the ‘greater good’ or call it proactive, predictive policing. We are
not suggesting they may be corrupt, but so many supposedly
well-intentioned people in power are.
Privacy is the greatest threat to humanity, and we need to take charge
of the conversation.
For example:
Respectful cameras: If we are to have AI facial recognition, why not
blur the faces of those not of interest?
Storage: Why must we store the Exabytes of video data when it could be
processed, used and discarded?
Train AI about privacy: Currently, no AI system is trained to recognise
people’s needs for privacy. In short, good, honest people should not be
concerned that their data is being used.
Minimise unnecessary monitoring: This huge growth industry is largely
unchecked. Regulation on where and what it can be used for needs to be
introduced.
What can you do to minimise surveillance?
You can’t escape surveillance unless you live in a cave, wear a
disguise, and pay cash!
But you can minimise its effect on you. There are two worlds you need to
think about.
Physical Surveillance
Anti-surveillance clothing: Certain patterns and designs can confuse
facial recognition cameras. See Etsy or search online.
Masks: Even a COVID mask can help.
Anti-CCTV: Reflectables (glasses)
Anti-drone fabrics: To mask thermal imaging.
RFID-blocking wallets and phone signal-blocking pockets
Use Cash
Turn off smartphone location, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It is not
foolproof, but it can help.
Get to know where the cameras are.
Online Privacy
Every device that connects to the internet is a tracker. Traffic is
unencrypted by default and includes masses of metadata to identify you.
Watch out for AI TVs with a camera
Samsung’s 2025 Neo QLED TV range ‘go beyond conventional TV watching’.
Vision AI’ will ‘keep a watchful eye on loved ones, detecting unusual
behaviour in both pets and family members’.
SW Yong, president of Samsung Electronics, said:
It enhances comfort by automatically adjusting room settings, like
dimming the lights when a child falls asleep, while providing real-time
updates and recorded events through TVs. Samsung sees TVs not as
one-directional devices for passive consumption but as interactive,
intelligent partners that adapt to your needs.
Emory Roane, Associate director of policy for the non-profit Privacy
Rights ClearningHouse, said she is ‘worried’ about smart TV sets.
surveillance
These TVs are allowing parents to spy on kids. Privacy isn’t only about
safeguarding against third-party advertisers; it also involves
protecting the privacy within our own households. The data collected can
be exploited in abusive relationships, whether it’s parents exerting
control over children or abusive partners, ex-partners, or stalkers.
Don’t forsake privacy for convenience. A TV should not be a two-way device’.
Use a VPN
The most practical way to ensure online privacy is to use a paid VPN.
Don’t use a free one, as these are often fronts for spyware and malware.
Avoid VPNs bundled with anti-virus packages, as these are often slow and
lack sufficient global points of presence. Read Do you need a VPN?
(Virtual Private Network).
Turn off device tracking:
Start with ‘location’ on any device and disable that. If an app needs
this, set the permission to ask whenever required.
In Windows, we recommend running O&O Shutup, which removes most of the
telemetrics that report back to Microsoft. Read Five free Windows
programs that will save your bacon (including cookie and registry
cleaners), and Remove Windows Bloatware, and get back heaps of memory
and CPU resources.
Use privacy-focused apps
Outlook and Gmail have encryption options that are even more effective
when used with a VPN.
Firefox Browser has excellent privacy settings. I am using and can
recommend Mercury Browser, a Firefox ‘fork’ with exceptional default
privacy settings and uses the Firefox add-on library. It is for Linux,
Windows and MacOS (ARM and Intel).
Avoid Chrome-based browsers like MS Edge, Chrome, Chromium, Thorium,
Opera, Brave, Samsung, Amazon Silk, and Vivaldi.
Strong passwords are critical
Never reuse a password; convert all to at least 16 characters, including
text, symbols and numbers. Remember that the best passwords are simple
phrases like MyCarUsesPetrol*24 or ILikeDonuts*24. I use the paid
LastPass for Families (up to 6 users) to manage all Windows, MacOS, iOS
and Android passwords so I don’t have to remember them. It is easy to
use and will work offline, too. Read How long does it take to hack your
password?
Use a paid Antivirus/malware app.
We recommend Trend Micro or Nortons, but you don’t need all the
features of the premium apps as there are more fully-featured VPNs,
Password managers (like LastPass), and you likely don’t need cloud
backup (you may already have it with most devices). Straight
anti-virus/malware protection is lower cost.
CyberShack’s view: Surveillance – here’s NOT looking at you, kid
Let’s face it – surveillance is here to stay, and unless you start
vocally objecting, it will only worsen.
But many voices are better, and the Australian Privacy Foundation will
keep you informed, enable involvement in focus groups and is the right
voice. Full membership is $40, and concession card holders get it for
$10 annually.
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Roger Clarke mailto:[email protected]
T: +61 2 6288 6916 http://www.xamax.com.au http://www.rogerclarke.com
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
Visiting Professorial Fellow UNSW Law & Justice
Visiting Professor in Computer Science Australian National University
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