We not only need to scrap laws like DSA (or whatever they call it now), but also, need to find out and discard all the surveillance equipments and softwares that the government is using on us, everyday, still today.
There is no conspiracy theory here, these are verifiable information made available to public in a global compilation recently. In the image above, this is a list of some of the notorious companies the government bought extremely invasive and dangerous tools from—to be used against us. Guess what, around 30% of them are in fact supplied by companies based in Israel.
The extent of digital surveillance enforced on the general people of Bangladesh is unfathomable. The most common reaction I get about any discussion related to privacy and surveillance is “I am not doing anything wrong, I have nothing to hide,”—given the situation, and what we have been through recently, do we now realise that everything that we think and communicate can be used against us regardless of being right or wrong, moral or immoral?
These surveillance are not necessarily targeted to us individually. They are not interested in you and me, until they are, i.e: they are literally listening, indexing, analysing, archiving everything on everyone, including the grocery list sent to your house help. It is just a matter of time when any one of these data points on you raises a flag at some ill intended corrupt corner, bam, you become a target. “I have nothing to hide”—is the worst idea that enables corporations and corrupt governments to get away with serious violations.
Example, the last name in the list WiSpear is made by a Cypriot company, the only known customer according to this website is Bangladesh government, they “sell long range mission intelligence vehicles whose technology can target any WiFi signal and intercept to steal data, passwords, and other communications.” Another well known “NSO Group is an Israeli technology firm known for developing and selling surveillance software, particularly the Pegasus spyware. Pegasus is notorious for its capability to infiltrate mobile phones, allowing its clients, typically governments and law enforcement agencies, to monitor communications, track locations, and access data stored on targeted devices.”
Remember, there is no “good use” of mass surveillance. The moment an agency comes up with the idea of mass surveillance to tackle crime, they have already failed at their job, that’s why they want to resort to surveillance. The necessity or mere existence of any mass surveillance program indicates only two things, the failure of law enforcement agencies to do their job right, and gross oppression by a government; it has no other purpose. And it needs to be stopped at the source.
Privacy is fundamental to human dignity. It is non-negotiable.
