Author of The Faithful Prepper and Zombie Choices
Yet another consequence of 2020 was the growth of public surveillance (aka Big Brother state) disguised under the umbrella of COVID. When you can convince a populace it is dangerous for them to be unobserved, you create the mindset that public surveillance is for the good of all.
Big Brother is bigger than ever
I work within the security industry.
One newer piece of technology that we can now install is AI fever monitoring cameras. Many buildings throughout the US now have a camera with thermal capabilities monitoring your every move when you walk in.
Should you be deemed somebody with a temperature outside of the preset bounds, the system will use facial recognition to lock onto you. As you travel throughout the facility, security staff/management is notified.
How is this any different from giving a polygraph to every person without their knowledge or consent?
Is this information the world at large needs to know?
Must you tell every business owner from here on all your recent health history to be admitted into the building? In the future, do I have to reveal every medical procedure I’ve had? Do I also have to report my sexual history, what foods I eat, and other private information before being allowed inside?
Consider the invasions of privacy that come from the utilization of thermal technology. The front desk staff now knows who has a problem with armpit sweat, how hot your crotch is, and whose butt is sweating.
Do HIPPA requirements apply here at all?
What happens if it’s discovered that heart rate is linked with an infectious disease? Will we then incorporate heart rate monitors throughout our facility? I hope you don’t get nervous speaking to that person you find attractive. What if an employee who doesn’t like you works the cameras? Isn’t that a violation of privacy?
What if it’s determined that abnormal sweating patterns are associated with an infectious disease? In this case, let’s say that it’s a sweaty butt. Are thermal cameras going to monitor everybody’s backsides in such an event?
Do you see how this can quickly grow into a terrifying experience?
Privacy is foundational to freedom
The Founding Fathers of America fully understood the importance of privacy when it came to freedom. It’s for this reason that the Fourth Amendment was written.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…”
Is it not a violation of the Fourth Amendment for someone to use a camera to collect your biometrics without your consent? Are you secure in your person and effects in such a case? Are we now subject to rights violations each time we enter a grocery store, doctor’s office, or gas station? Does modern American society demand that our rights be violated so that we can live within that society?
Surveillance of US citizens and sensitive data collection reached epic proportions
COVID tech used to monitor the American people during the past year and a half collected more sensitive data than ever before.
Want proof?
- Alabama State University purchased thermal imaging and facial recognition-equipped drones to enforce social distancing and masking in public.
- Some US school districts required their students and staff to wear a Bluetooth armband to monitor their temperature.
The end result of these types of policies is to have authorities dictating your oxygen intake and whether or not you’re allowed to hug your friends.
Want more proof?
Online classrooms – intended to protect students against COVID – were turned into the ever-present TV cameras from 1984.
- Twelve-year-old Isaiah Elliot of Colorado flashed a toy gun across his screen during one of his lectures and was then suspended. Police were then sent to his house for a welfare check.
- Things were no different in Maryland. An 11-year-old boy had the police called on him by his teacher. The teacher saw a BB gun hanging on his bedroom wall during a Google Meet class.
When government employees get to decide which toys your children play with and what they decorate their bedrooms with, you have a public surveillance problem.
The end result of policies such as these is authorities demanding to violate your right to health privacy, then threatening your child with potential kidnapping (via Social Services) if you refuse to send your child to school.
Is the abolition of cash for your health or control?
The push for the abolition of cash was heavy throughout 2020. For example, the CNN article “Dirty money: the case against using cash during the coronavirus outbreak.” wrote:
The ongoing spread of coronavirus is forcing institutions around the world to rethink one particularly germy surface that most consumers touch every day: cash.
What’s the end result of this movement? A cashless society, and therefore, the monitoring and controlling of every purchase you make.
And now we have the vaccine passport
Now Americans must “state your name and race” before using certain transportation services, entering certain buildings, or going to certain churches. And it’s only going to continue to grow in use.
What does a vaccine passport do? First, it gives people the ability to know everywhere you’ve ever been. And, should it become digitally uploaded, to see where you are right now. Also, it lets them know whether or not you’re willing to comply with tyranny or not. Those who don’t – those who haven’t been placed on the list – are easier to find.
And when you’re easier to find – well, you end up in a situation very akin to Soviet Russia, do you not?
“These are the people who have not pledged loyalty to Stalin! Do with this list as you will!”
Public health is the perfect guise for tyranny
It’s based on fear, and fear is a potent motivator. If you can get most people to seek security rather than freedom, slavery is not far behind. As FA Hayek said regarding security in his masterpiece The Road to Serfdom, “the general striving for it, far from increasing the chances of freedom, becomes the gravest threat to it.”
Do you enjoy your freedom? Do you enjoy your right to privacy – not having a peeping Tom invading every aspect of your life? Then pay attention to what is being done with COVID tech. Watch both where and how it is being used.
Because I think you’ll agree with me: it’s not in your best interest.
About the Author
Aden Tate has a master’s in public health and is a regular contributor to PewPewTactical.com, SurvivalBlog.com, SHTFBlog.com, ApartmentPrepper.com, HomesteadAndPrepper.com, and PrepperPress.com.
Along with being a freelance writer he also works part-time as a locksmith. Aden has an LLC for his micro-farm where he raises dairy goats, a pig, honeybees, meat chickens, laying chickens, tomatoes, mushrooms, and greens.
Aden has two published books, The Faithful Prepper and Zombie Choices. You can find his podcast The Last American at Preppers’ Broadcasting Network.
The Courts will side with the “Government” (Executive & Legislative), as they always do when it comes to the Bill of Rights. To all three, the Constitution is no longer relevant, considered nothing more than an anachronism (except when it comes to the sections that gives them their right to exist, and their authority to make and enforce law).
Lack of privacy allowed in Venezuela to those so called “community councils” to snitch on neighbors who bought large amounts of food and accusing them as “hoarders”.
Then, the NG would raid their homes (and “seizing” whatever they feel like, at gunpoint) and take them to jail, just to release them after a “fee” was paid.
These are the final state of things that start when the privacy is a no longer considered a right, but a privilege.
Someday people will learn –
There is NO SUCH THING as anyone who can be trusted with authority over you. In EVERY CASE, that authority will immediately abused to benefit them and harm you.
So it is with all politicians at all levels, public health departments, you name it.
This is an interesting article, but it misses in a couple of spots.
The first is; that they have said there will be no National Vaccine Passport, plus16 states and counting, have banned vaccine passports.( It would be a potential Constitutional violation to have a National vaccine passport).
As for HIPPA violations: much of this is, but no one has sued anyone over it yet.
As for online schooling: many states are going back to regular schooling.
Though much of this stuff is troubling, it is far worse outside the US.
We have a lot more personal rights than most people. We also have a lot of people who will stand up and fight to help us keep those rights.
Now the other area that was missing from the article; was a Solution and a call to action.
How can we get involved ? Where do we turn for help? Those things were missing from the article.
Even general suggestions, if not specific ones, would be nice. Like getting involved and contacting your law makers or school district, to get things back to normal.
Rather than looking at the situation and Wringing our hands in despair( like a non prepper after SHTF), We need to be Prepped.
Which brings us to the point; What would you do if the Government went all “1984” on us, (referring to George Orwell’s book, “1984”)? Bug out? Fight? Resist? What…?
This was a GREAT article !No matter what your sour grapes said. Who else is EVEN putting this info out. Give him credit for doing this…and if you can’t figure out what to do TO RESIST—without somebody outlining every single step or taking you by the hand–then ‘YOU’ have a major problem..
I pretty much have come to terms that I will probably never fly again.
No way am I getting the covid jab.
No way am I wearing a mask on a plane.
Good thing I traveled when I did…
Same here–AND..multiplied zillions of times by others ALSO…PLANET WIDE !
This article and some of the comments make excellent points. I agree that our government has used this “public health emergency” to advance a totalitarian agenda. They encouraged snitching to the point that would make the Stasi proud! They’ve demonized preppers by calling us hoarders and made good use of the Jan 6 events to demonize gun owners and militias as well. Notice now that no peasant is allowed into the People’s House in DC. Only the elites and their servants are allowed there.
These elites are using fear, thinking they can control it. However, if we look at the run-up to WWII, the fear exploded into war because past a certain point, no one can control the powerful emotions. Of course, the elites profited. Notice that now, as then, the public sector has actually grown and prospered.
As for HIPAA, that’s a highly misunderstood act. Private businesses can legally ask for whatever health information they please in order to grant admittance. HIPAA bars them from disclosing that information to anyone else. But yeah, the surveillance state is ‘way out of hand. This is why I’ve largely left social media. A freelance teaching job that I have has warned its contractors that the kids like to search their teachers on social media, and should the teacher in question be reported for “hate speech”, the teacher will be removed from the platform, no questions asked. Cancel culture at its finest! We’re learning to speak Soviet, just as the Russians did. Adapt or die.
I closed down my websites a few years ago. I’ve never really done social media, now what I have is for information gathering and not for posting. My posting has mostly been on messgage boards / forums and those have all gone.
If it gets bad I head for my bug out location and we defend if need be.
My state is overwhelmingly Democrat at the state and federal level so there isn’t much use in contacting them about theor assinine policies.
Locally people are more sane since it is rural, but I don’t talk much about prepping or much of my views or thoughts beyond a few close friends I trust with my life.
I grew up with parents who were adults during the Great depression. They had grown up in farm country so they raised animal to salt down or smoke. They gardened, sun dried, canned, and froze produce to eat until the next harvest time. I follow that example. But without electricity I don’t freeze produce.
Do I trust this government? Not completely. We’ve lost a lot during this lockdown under covid. Is it repairable. Yes. Is it likely? Only if we stand up, vote, make sure our elected officials know we can, and will, vote so they need to pay attention to the will of the people.
Stay out of the cities if possible. The violence increases and cameras abound in public places. Is that paranoid? No, it is factual. Will I hide? No, will I resist? In a hundred little ways I strive to live independently. Do I undermine my nation? No. I just work toward a quiet retired life. I love my nation but I don’t like nor approve of much I perceive happening. I see a current leader who appears to be traveling the same mental decline as my husband. That is sad for this nation. I wonder how many leaders recognize tough leadership as honorable and weakness as sign of a weak nation? Does that mean we are vulnerable to the strong Now? In my heart I question much. So I work to regain strength and health. I garden. I buy canning jars and lids as I’m able. I still am learning new skills to add to a lifetime of learning. I quietly find like minded people. People who help me and who I would help. Not an army, but a band of “Brothers” who will help each other. Each with different skills but all with knowledge, experience, and resources. Neighbors who will lookout for each other. A few good people.
Society has separated folks till neighbors are strangers. The watching is making folks untrusting and rightfully so. Covid I roved family a b dd b eighties will report the neighbors. That id scarry isn’t it?
that Iast sentence was attacked by auto spell just as it posted.
“COVID proved families, neighbors and strangers will report the neighbors. That is scarry isn’t it?
After reading tons of information I haven’t heard the solution to how we can keep any of our rights, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Look, I’m not in favor of state surveillance any more than you are. But, the fourth amendment doesn’t apply on someone else’s private property and was never meant to. The Bill of Rights only guarantee your rights are protected from the STATE…not from others.
And if you squeal about being watched, or recorded, when you enter someone else’s property or building or business, you will certainly squeal about it if you come to mine. And don’t try to say it’s a violation of your rights. It’s not. People need to understand that this republic was built on the bedrock of private property rights and every building, other than a state building, is private property and they can make whatever rules they wish and you must follow them or leave.
Yet if it’s the state mandating private businesses must conduct business so, it’s a tad different.
Case in point would be Michigan dictating you can’t go to a restaurant without their collecting your name, address, and contact info.
It’s NOT that clear cut as you say..NOT at all !
The West Australian government is unapologetic about allowing police to track down offenders with Covid tracing app. Whilst not supporting criminal behaviour the questions remain. Can governments and public servants be trusted with our information and what happens when legal activities like religious worship and observance becomes ‘woke’ crimes against humanity? Please see this link for news report https://youtu.be/wVOTQiWFAts
It’s just like those who Clone Humans – because they Can – just ask the Chinese who have been Cloning since the 1980’s – Successfully – Who Knows? Humans will Always do what they Want because They Can! Surveil people – Why Not? Force Vaccinations – Why Not? Where there is No Respect for GOD – there are No Morals – No Values – No Laws – No Rules – NO STOPPING THEM – EVER! So just like in The Bible from time to time there Must be a Reckoning & then there is a Cleansing. GOD Waits & then… well you get the picture.
The Korean’s started it with the Sheep “Dolly” thing. Remember?
At the entrance to my retirement community, they set up a checkpoint. They ask a few questions and take temps. That is bad enough. About 6 weeks ago they started asking ‘are you fully vaccinated?”. Taken aback, I said “I’d rather not answer”. They seemed to accept that. Now, I don’t say yes or no, etc. There are kids working the checkpoint that really don’t care. I definitely felt that it was an invasion of privacy.
So just what do you say “NOW” when they ask?
I have tried “I don’t want to answer”, ‘not answering’, ‘put anything you want down’. ‘Don’t ask-don’t tell’. etc etc. Right now, we can probably get away with that because it just might be un-hipaa to ask. That is ‘for the moment’.
This was a GREAT article !No matter what your sour grapes said. Who else is EVEN putting this info out. Give him credit for doing this…and if you can’t figure out what to do TO RESIST—without somebody outlining every single step or taking you by the hand–then ‘YOU’ have a major problem..
“Necessity” is the plea of every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. it is the creed of slaves. – William Pitt the Younger