We are sad to report that there are people who are exploiting the just-beginning movement in America against surveillance cameras. That is to say, there are people for whom the systematic destruction of the right to privacy is nothing more than an opportunity to enrich or promote themselves. Among these bogus anti-surveillance groups are the following.
1. "Anti-Surveillance Defense Group." Despite what is said at http://www.asdg.org -- which is now registered to someone else -- this isn't in fact a group but simply an entrepeneur named Ron Brazil, who is rather cynically using the fear of being surveilled to sell dubious and over-priced products. The primary product is the "INVIZI-SHEILD," which only costs $129 (!) and appears to use a special kind of when-monkeys-fly-out-of-my-ass technology: "our Invizi-Shield Anti-Surveillance Defense Device [...] blocks the signals [sic] sent by all types of video surveillance equipment. It does not transmit radio frequencies. Instead, Invizi-Shield uses a specially modulated field of light with infrared diodes [sic] and creates anonymity from all types of video cameras in use today, including wireless. Using our device also renders the use of Facial Recognition Technology impossible [...] Invizi-Shield detects frequencies in any range [sic] and works instantly to defeat any signal it receives within any distance range - making the individual electronically unidentifiable to any video surveillance device." Here's more of the ad copy: "Over the past few years, The Anti-Surveillance Defense Group has been roached on many occasions to accept grants and donations from a variety of Foundations, Trusts and large potential donors. WE HAVE REFUSED FOR ONE MAJOR REASON. We will be beholden only to our members in developing the tools necessary to take back and protect our personal privacy and our freedom to be left alone. All funding for our Group is through member donations, allowing us to be totally free from unnecessary outside influence. We know of no other Privacy Advocacy Group who can make this claim." And we won't be surprised when we see this shit advertised on late-night TV.
2. "Seattle Anti Surveillance Society." Though the website http://www.galaxaco.com/sass/ says that the "SASS is sponsored by a 'reclusive and paranoid billionaire' who wishes to remain anonymous," there is no such thing as the SASS, which is simply a theme (a fictional group) in a film by Alex R. Mayer entitled Hell Hole High. Despite its non-existence, the SASS puts copyright notices on stickers which are ostensibly designed to be printed out and used to label otherwise unmarked surveillance cameras. Quite obviously, Alex R. Mayer has no intention of actually using these stickers in Seattle, where he lives, because, if he did, the police would quickly and easily use the copyright notices on them to locate, first, the SASS's website and then, through it, Galaxaco Communications, L.L.C., which is Alex R. Mayer's company.
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