whitetop
06-06-2014, 12:01 PM
Reset the Net (https://www.resetthenet.org/) is a campaign by Fight for the Future (http://www.fightforthefuture.org/aboutus/index.html) and endorsed by many organizations. Organizations that fight for internet freedom such as the Free Software Foundation, Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union, and Restore the Fourth endorsed the Reset the Net campaign. Also, some more questionable organizations such as Google and Yahoo were allowed to join the campaign, even though they work closely with the NSA on its spying efforts. Even DropBox, which was mired in controversy over appointing Condoleezza Rice (http://www.newstatesman.com/future-proof/2014/04/dropbox-users-are-angry-nsa-loving-condoleezza-rice-has-been-appointed-its) to its corporate board, was allowed to participate (Condoleezza Rice was part of the Bush administration and supported Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program).
With all the talk and paranoia that currently surrounds the NSA’s spying programs, it seems rather odd that Reset the Net would be promoting software that is actually funded by the US government.
Reset the Net is encouraging people to download and use software that is part of its Privacy Pack (https://pack.resetthenet.org/). Four of the six software programs on Reset the Net’s infographic are actually financed by the US government. Tor, ChatSecure, TextSecure, and RedPhone all receive US government financing.
http://media.tumblr.com/3dcbb6099ed8a232324a2a652c5134b8/tumblr_inline_n6pjqdPjgd1sfim9n.png
Tor (https://www.torproject.org/) (The Onion Router) was originally a US Naval Research Laboratory project (http://www.nrl.navy.mil/itd/chacs/accomplishments). The Naval Research Laboratory was instrumental in research for the US government’s COMINT and SIGINT programs (aka spying/mass surveillance programs) after World War II. On page 10 (http://www.nrl.navy.mil/content_images/factbook.pdf) under the “Electronic Warfare” section, the Naval Research Laboratory lists that it continues to conduct research in COMINT and SIGINT technologies. Paul Syverson (https://www.torproject.org/about/corepeople.html.en), a researcher at the Naval Research Lab, continues to work with the Tor Project on research and design. On Tor Project’s own website (https://www.torproject.org/about/sponsors.html.en), it lists Tor as having received direct and indirect funding from the Naval Research Laboratory for almost a decade from 2001-2010.
Tor, ChatSecure, TextSecure, and RedPhone all receive money from the Open Technology Fund (https://www.opentechfund.org/about). The Open Technology Fund is run by Radio Free Asia. Due to a bizarre law (http://www.rfa.org/about/info/history.html), Radio Free Asia is technically a nonprofit, even though it was established and is funded by the US Congress. Radio Free Asia is under the direct supervision and oversight of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which is a US federal government agency.
US Government Funding Through The Open Technology Fund
$600,000 - Tor Project
$455,000 - Open Whisper Systems (makers of RedPhone and TextSecure)
$388,500 - The Guardian Project (makers of ChatSecure)
Dan Meredith, Director of the Open Technology Fund, spoke about his work at the Broadcasting Board of Governors public meeting. In his presentation, he talks in detail about the types of software programs the US government is funding.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WWcF9mtWYVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Dan Meredith, Director of the Open Technology Fund, talks at the Broadcasting Board of Governors public meeting. You can skip ahead to the 15:00 mark on the video where he discusses financing for software programs.
With all the talk and paranoia that currently surrounds the NSA’s spying programs, it seems rather odd that Reset the Net would be promoting software that is actually funded by the US government.
Reset the Net is encouraging people to download and use software that is part of its Privacy Pack (https://pack.resetthenet.org/). Four of the six software programs on Reset the Net’s infographic are actually financed by the US government. Tor, ChatSecure, TextSecure, and RedPhone all receive US government financing.
http://media.tumblr.com/3dcbb6099ed8a232324a2a652c5134b8/tumblr_inline_n6pjqdPjgd1sfim9n.png
Tor (https://www.torproject.org/) (The Onion Router) was originally a US Naval Research Laboratory project (http://www.nrl.navy.mil/itd/chacs/accomplishments). The Naval Research Laboratory was instrumental in research for the US government’s COMINT and SIGINT programs (aka spying/mass surveillance programs) after World War II. On page 10 (http://www.nrl.navy.mil/content_images/factbook.pdf) under the “Electronic Warfare” section, the Naval Research Laboratory lists that it continues to conduct research in COMINT and SIGINT technologies. Paul Syverson (https://www.torproject.org/about/corepeople.html.en), a researcher at the Naval Research Lab, continues to work with the Tor Project on research and design. On Tor Project’s own website (https://www.torproject.org/about/sponsors.html.en), it lists Tor as having received direct and indirect funding from the Naval Research Laboratory for almost a decade from 2001-2010.
Tor, ChatSecure, TextSecure, and RedPhone all receive money from the Open Technology Fund (https://www.opentechfund.org/about). The Open Technology Fund is run by Radio Free Asia. Due to a bizarre law (http://www.rfa.org/about/info/history.html), Radio Free Asia is technically a nonprofit, even though it was established and is funded by the US Congress. Radio Free Asia is under the direct supervision and oversight of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which is a US federal government agency.
US Government Funding Through The Open Technology Fund
$600,000 - Tor Project
$455,000 - Open Whisper Systems (makers of RedPhone and TextSecure)
$388,500 - The Guardian Project (makers of ChatSecure)
Dan Meredith, Director of the Open Technology Fund, spoke about his work at the Broadcasting Board of Governors public meeting. In his presentation, he talks in detail about the types of software programs the US government is funding.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WWcF9mtWYVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Dan Meredith, Director of the Open Technology Fund, talks at the Broadcasting Board of Governors public meeting. You can skip ahead to the 15:00 mark on the video where he discusses financing for software programs.