Canadian Airport P.A. Announcement: "Paging George Orwell...Paging Mr. George Orwell..."
There's a line in the Canadian national anthem:

"God keep our land glorious and free!"

Well, scratch the "glorious and free" part, because, per Crid, the latest news out of Canada is beyond troubling. Ian Macleod writes at Canada.com:

OTTAWA - Airports and border crossings across Canada are being wired with high-definition cameras and microphones that can eavesdrop on travellers' conversations, according to the Canada Border Services Agency.

A CBSA statement said that audio-video monitoring and recording is already in place at unidentified CBSA sites at airports and border points of entry as part of an effort to enhance "border integrity, infrastructure and asset security and health and safety."

As part of the work, the agency is introducing audio-monitoring equipment as well.

"It is important to note that even though audio technology is installed, no audio is recorded at this time. It will become functional at a later date," CBSA spokesman Chris Kealey said in a written statement.

But whenever that occurs, the technology, "will record conversations," the agency said in a separate statement in response to questions from the Ottawa Citizen.

At Ottawa's airport, signs will be posted referring passersby to a "privacy notice" that will be posted on the CBSA website once the equipment is activated, and to a separate help line explaining how the recordings will be used, stored, disclosed and retained.

Definition of a free country from Cambridge Dictionaries Online:

•a country where the government does not control what people say or do for political reasons and where people can express their opinions without punishment

The transition from a totalitarian state to a free country will be long and slow.

I can say what I like - it's a free country!

Some of the TSA workers in Albuquerque and an Albuquerque cop have a lot to be ashamed of for earning a living by violating Americans' rights. I experienced some truly disgusting intimidation tactics at the TSA checkpoint there, and will blog about it in the coming days -- naming names. (I'm a little behind in my writing, thanks to my attendance at the Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference from Wednesday through Sunday.)

While I agree this is bad, if it's being implemented by CBSA, that means it's going to be in customs halls, not general aviation security. Aviation security is handled by CATSA, not CBSA.

Under just about every country's law (including the US) you do not enjoy privacy rights during customs screening.

Peter H at June 18, 2012 6:40 AM

Amy Alkon

https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/06/paging-george-o.html#comment-3236041">comment from Peter H

Here's what a Canadian privacy lawyer has to say about it:

http://blog.privacylawyer.ca/2012/06/canada-border-services-agency-to-bug.html

While details are sketchy, I can't help but wonder whether or how this is lawful at all.

In Canada, it is unlawful to intercept any private communications without a warrant. The Criminal Code of Canada makes that pretty clear...

Amy Alkon at June 18, 2012 6:46 AM

Too little sleep. My mind went right to, getting a ventriliquist to make the most "interesting" conversation seem to come from the security people.
That or go there and have the most odd conversations but do it in rare or unusual languages (Incan, Tanzanian, or Klingon, yes friends went to see a Shakespear play in Klingon). So they have to hire intrpreters.

Joe J at June 18, 2012 7:10 AM

Joe J,

I recently saw a comedian (ventriloquist) who had something about airport security in his bit. It was funny.

Were I to be wanting to do some protest, and have the time, I would stage conversations (like a flash mob) of people having nonsense conversations.

"So I went to the supermarket."
"The game was great."
"It's in C minor."
"What sound does a cow make?" (note, I have little kids).

Better yet, script out some actual conversations, and then mash them up giving separate lines to separate people in different "conversations." It'd have to be mashed back together.

I'm sure somebody who's creative could do this in a very entertaining way.

Shannon M. Howell at June 18, 2012 12:24 PM

CBSA or CATSA or airlines, if the technology exists it will be [mis-]used eventually.

John A at June 18, 2012 12:27 PM

Probably this could be all be disrupted with a combination of audible sound frequency generator(s) (already available for PC's) and some small high speed fans to disperse the sound waves around you.

I bet with the right combination you could create a cone of silence around you and the people you want to talk to. Some sort of anti-synchronizing system.

I wonder if there is a patent on it yet?

Jim P. at June 18, 2012 7:44 PM

This would be kinda fun to mess with. Walk through the airport singing "Henry the 8th" or "Sunshine Day". Fart loudly. Play satire music...anything to make yourself irritating during the whole process. The protests could be great fun to stage.

Julie Chris at June 22, 2012 2:41 PM

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