The Ukrainian government used telephone technology to pinpoint the locations of cellphones in use near clashes between riot police officers and protesters early on Tuesday….
Ed Yourdon / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
People near the fighting between riot police and protesters received a text message shortly after midnight saying "Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance."
The phrasing echoed language in a new law making participation in a protest deemed violent a crime punishable by imprisonment. The law took effect on Tuesday.
This law and a package of other legislation passed by pro-government political parties in Parliament appeared modeled on rules in neighboring Russia, which has pioneered the coordination of legislation tightening rules on free speech and public assembly with technological capabilities….
Prepare for an American future of texts like "you are entering a known prostitution/drug dealing zone"? "You appear to be gathered together with other readers of this terrorist-supporting web site"? "You appear to be gathered together with other raw milk enthusiasts/tax protesters"? Remember "metadata"? It's useful stuff! (That is, content of communications is not needed for government to try awful things with their surveillance.)
