If you use the net, it is time you know about the scary parts

I don't know if this will turn into a series or not, but there are some outright scary things going down in places that should have most of you scared out of your wits.

Most of this is just the facts, from where I can snag them. Any extrapolation is mine.

A lot of the info I pull for this stuff comes from the web, which means that I've a 60/40 chance of it being true. At best.

And that's the best news your getting, so lets strap in, set an away status on the instant messenger of your choice, and grab a soft drink, its time to look at the ugly things hiding underneath your average Internet.

And the normal pits of the Internet? That's getting factored as average. If you've been around the net for more than facebook, then please go get a new pair of pants. I'll wait.

So, let us begin.

http://acta.us.to/ is our starting spot, and, frankly, is by no means tame.

This is like a house cat- you think its all cute and cuddly (and they are!) but then you remember that they commonly prey on more than 200 different species.

At a first glance, this is a treaty signed among nations to stop piracy. That's something I can (aside from being a hypocrite the size of a hippogriff) get behind. Exceptions non-withstanding (and if the product/IP I would like is no longer sold in retail? What if the artist of that album I'm torrenting is dead?) piracy screws over businesses. Probably not as bad as they think, but yes, I am willing to admit that it does cut into profits.

And not all of it can be rationalized away by absurd prices- with some people pirating things just to get them early. And come now, even if they sold games for 5 bucks, we'd still pirate the hell out of them, because its free. Screw quality drops, free things are always better.

Its like the first rule of college.

Ok, fine. Maybe I don't like the idea, but its a morally good one. Just like the fact that I can't break the shins of people who wait until they are at the register to order something after being in line for an hour. I can't get everything I want.

Fine.

Now its time for the scary stuff, the dagger held by the little cute child, if you will.

There is a clause in this agreement that states that they want to also be able to randomly search computers for pirated material a-la random terrorist search at the airport.

Oh, HELL no.

Problem A) Unlike a terrorist search, this has no threat to national security, or the business of running a country. We have nations stepping in for businesses. Last I checked, most of us don't have businesses. I, quite frankly, don't care about your business, I care about your product. Nations should never enter the private sector- at least not on this level. I can understand a state run competitor company, but this is WAY different. You are acting on the market as it stands to keep current businesses in the black.

That violates the best part about a free market- that it is fluid. Businesses grow, and businesses fail. The market works like evolution- those that can adapt, stay afloat. Those that can't, sink. This gives the consumer power over businesses- we can pick which places stay up, and which die. This treaty goes against that in a big way.

Problem B) This is actually an issue that goes against the whole random screening in general, but it applies in a big way here. There is no bounds on the data they can mine from your computer. They'll trawl the whole damn thing.

Examples?
Your search history from when it was 3 am and you were bored.
Your search histories from all the times you were drunk and horny.
Any and all passwords/user names your browser may have saved for quick entry.

And this stuff can be saved in ways and places you might not expect. All it takes is a system restore to before the point you started clearing your Internet history to get any old info. And, a lot of this is saved in more places than just your browsers history- and in ways you might not expect.

And I'm still assuming they don't put anything new on your computer. A virus can trawl up more info than you've ever dreamed. And, of course, leave a nice backdoor.

Now, I know. Most people won't do such a thing, and most places do have securities to prevent some broke TSA agent from stealing your identity. But, that is the big difference between a standard passenger screening and this new digital screening- OK, people ruffle through you bags- you don't keep a lot there. Someone goes through your laptop or computer- and all of the sudden they are seeing a whole lot more than just what type of hand sanitizer you like to use.

Readers: "we're protected by the constitution! They need a warrant!"

Does TSA need a warrant to do a random strip search in the airport? Not currently. And may I remind you that congress has the power to agree to treaties- even if they conflict with the bill of rights?

That's OK. I need to change my pants now too.