2136 Spyanator

I came across a couple of articles recently that got me thinking. They were both related to today's technology and the potential misuses of it by the NSA and other spying organizations.

As an aside, isn't it odd how we keep getting more and more revelations from Edward Snowden? It's almost like those serial novels that used to be published in newspapers. They helped increase circulation, and of course revenue, by forcing readers to keep coming back for more.

It's like someone is paying Snowden for each chunk of juicy spy gossip. First the NSA is spying on our emails. Ka-ching. Then on European leaders. Ka-ching. Then metadata on our phone travels. Ka-ching. Then hacking into fiber optic cables to steal data from Google, Apple, and other supposedly secure networks. Ka-ching.  

And now, (ka-ching) not content to spy on us in the real world, the NSA is spying on us in the virtual online alternative worlds, like World of Warcraft and other games. 

Because, you know, Al Qaeda members like communicating with each other as zombies and ogres. Hey, if we could convince them to only blow up stuff online our problems would be over. Someone find 40 virgin avatars.

So that's why another news item scared me. Qualcomm has come up with a new open source framework that will allow all sorts of regular platforms to communicate with each other. Cars, mobile devices, computers, and home appliances will soon be conversing seamlessly. The program will allow all those devices and more to discover, connect, and communicate with each other regardless of manufacturer.

Which means, guess what? A new way for the NSA to spy on us. Crimenentely, the spies are already in my World of Warcraft. Now they're in my refrigerator too?

Hide the hummus. 

America, ya gotta love it.