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Wanna spy?

Wikileaks today released yet another treasure-trove of documents.   Spy Files 3.   This time they record and reflect the simply salesmanship which comes from companies to governments and their agencies - Privacy International reports.     It is interesting how little attention the media have given to these latest revelations.  Is it a case of ho-hum or nor wanting to upset governments?   Or is it an assumption that spying goes on extensively and what Wikileaks has revealed isn't anything new.    Even if that is the case the general public is entitled to know.

"Today, Wikileaks have released Spyfiles 3, which further reveals the extent of which Western corporations are equipping repressive regimes and non-democratic governments to target activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. Unequivocally, the newest SpyFiles documents show that this dark industry only continues to grow, in both technical capability and customer base, all while amassing billions in profits off the suffering of individuals. The types of surveillance being marketed by these companies represent some of the most sophisticated technologies available -- whether it's instrusion software, data mining, trojans, location tracking, deep packet inspection, facial recognition, or mass monitoring.

And just like an advertisement you would see on television or in a magazine, spy firms are marketing these tools with flashy graphics, sales-speak, and guarantees on effectiveness. It's quite jarring to see such dangerous technologies being presented in such an unthreatening fashion, given that these products represent one of the biggest threats to human rights in the 21st century.

Today's release shows how deep the relationship is between the companies, their Sales Teams, and their clients (both prospective and current governments). Considering the country visits and enquiries from the surveillance companies themselves, any standard business practice would show that the surveillance company would be well aware of human rights abuses being perpetrated by those governments. With the well documented continuing state of human rights situations in many of the countries listed, any surveillance technology sold to these countries raises serious questions as to their legitimate and lawful use."

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