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‘Little Brother’ more a concern than ‘Big Brother’ By Michael C. Guilmette Jr. Originally published on April 8, 2004, in the Bay Mills News.
Both sides could be potential problems for citizens in general, but a greater threat lies with a lesser known concept — “Little Brother.” Although this phrase may not be very familiar, it has its roots in a better known saying — “The Nosy Neighbor.” Self-appointed community spies are obviously nothing new. From someone hiding under window eaves to listen in on conversations to someone quietly picking up a party line to do the same thing, we have had to deal with these societal fringers throughout recorded history. But, in the digital age, community spying has become much easier — and has much more serious implications. As computers and peripherals become cheaper and more available, nosy people are finding creative ways of making use of them. For instance, web cameras allowed people to see each other over distances, but they also opened the door to inexpensive clandestine monitoring for everyone. Initially, cheap hidden cameras were used to monitor babysitters, housekeepers, utility workers and maintenance workers while they were in private homes — a reasonable use. But, these cameras began to be pointed elsewhere, such as in neighbors' windows, locker rooms, dressing rooms and bathrooms. While I will not ponder on the reasons why these individuals may elect to engage in voyeuristic activities, the loss of privacy is very real, and for obvious reasons. But even mundane monitoring can cross the line. Some time back, I found a website posted by an anonymous individual that was dedicated to showing the world his aggravation with his unkempt and inconsiderate neighbor. Digital photo after digital photo — taken from a distance, of course — showed a poorly tended lawn, broken-down vehicles, half completed building projects and even fire damage from a barbeque gone wrong. Now, this community spy broke no laws with his site, as he did not identify who his neighbor was or where the neighborhood was located, nor did he trespass on his neighbor’s property — or so he claims. Regardless, the neighbor’s antics were made available for anyone with Internet access to see. Little Brother can also be found in the workplace, put to use in perfectly legal ways. As networked computers proliferated on the job, employers concerned about ensuring that their expensive equipment was being used for legitimate business installed a variety of monitoring software to ascertain what the employees were up to with company computers. Like nanny cams in the home, business monitoring is a completely reasonable precaution for employers to take — even though employees will say that the lack of trust hurts morale. Now, some people may expect spying at work, but many may not even realize that, with wireless technology, they are letting Little Brother into their homes. A wireless keyboard, mouse, web cam and computer network saves users from being tethered to their computers as well as eliminating the electronic spaghetti that can result from bundles of computer cables. Wireless peripherals work by broadcasting radio signals, and these radio transmissions can be received by a lot more than your home computer. Broadcast ranges are limited by the transmitter power, the terrain and atmospheric conditions, but any ham radio operator will say that some broadcasts can go around the world. It’s unlikely that someone in China is reading what you type, but your neighbor who owns the same model of wireless keyboard may well be. Stories abound about users who have left their computers on standby only to watch them become active, go online and begin surfing the Internet — in reality, the computer is mirroring the activities of another computer by receiving the wireless signals. Similarly, Theresa Smith, a foster mother in Milwaukee, was arrested in February for child abuse because she forced her wards to stand for over an hour holding their arms out, all while she intermittently beat them. She would not have been caught had she not had a wireless webcam operating in that room — and her neighbor had not bought the same kind of camera to receive her unintended broadcast. A sport of sorts in the wireless community is for users with laptops to travel around a community searching for open wireless Internet, or Wi-Fi connections, to exploit. This has also led to a fad called “warchalking,” marking buildings or sidewalks with symbols to show open Wi-Fi connections. Little Brother is a much more credible threat than is Big Brother for many reasons. Theoretically, a government has limits, be they constitutional, financial or physical limitations. The sheer number of Internet users in this country would make it very difficult for the government to monitor everyone if it was so inclined. And in the unlikely event the government did manage to monitor everyone, their actions would be fairly predictable. Not so with a malicious neighbor that wants to steal credit card information for a little identity theft, or the peeping tom who installs cameras to bedroom windows, or the jilted ex-spouse who wants a little petty revenge. The best advice to avoid Little Brother is to be wary of your computer use, especially with wireless components. Codes and encryption schemes are available to lessen the threat, but those who are particularly concerned about security should avoid wireless altogether. ‘1984’ may have been the year of Big Brother, but in 2004, Little Brother is Watching You. • Mike Guilmette is a staff reporter/columnist with the Bay Mills News. His website can be seen at http://www.sigperl.com/. |
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Copyright © 2004, Michael C. Guilmette Jr. |
George Orwell’s landmark book ‘1984’ introduced us to the concept of “Big Brother,” the ever-present eye of the tyrannical government that ruled the fictional Oceania. This dystopian vision of despotism has been applied to both sides of the political debate in the United States, be it the alleged erosion of civil rights perpetrated by the right through the Patriot Act, or the expansion and intrusion of the government into our daily lives by the left.
