German police have been doing this for some time already with anti-nazi protesters: <a href="https://www.eff.org/issues/mandatory-data-retention/germany" rel="nofollow">https://www.eff.org/issues/mandatory-data-retention/germany</a> (search for dresden)<p>And in a case of luxury car arsons: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/berlin-arson-cell-phones-2012-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.businessinsider.com/berlin-arson-cell-phones-2012...</a><p>So the only new thing here is that the protesters got notified.
That happened yesterday, and at least two major Ukrainian mobile operators stated [1,2] that they have nothing to do with these SMS broadcasts and that pirate base stations were probably used in the area of the disturbance.<p>[1] Kyivstar FB page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kyivstar" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/kyivstar</a> (Ukrainian)
[2] MTS Ukraine FB page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MTSUkraine" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/MTSUkraine</a> (Ukrainian)
"Always leave a way out, unless you really want to find out how hard a man can fight when he's nothing to lose." (The Wheel of Time)<p>The reddit thread has a lot of good comments actually: <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1vtpa8/dear_subscriber_you_are_registered_as_a/" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1vtpa8/dear_subsc...</a>
It's amazing people don't understand this is an elaborate mass prank. Pirate base stations have been present in the area since the disturbances began, already being used for nefarious purposes before (SMS/money transfer fraud and so on). Whoever operates these is a petty criminal, not a nefarious government – if I'd have an opportunity to send thousands of protesters anything I want, I'm sure I'd pull a prank like this as well.
Setting aside the validity debate for a moment, this is unsettling to me (as a US citizen) in that we all know the US has the ability to use their monitoring data to do this very thing (and much more), so should they choose. The big difference is that the Ukranian government yanked too many civil liberties and rights too soon instead of the gradual removal that we've got going on over here.<p>As you watch this unfold (fellow US citizens), remember that we are not so far removed from what you are seeing streamed your way. I hope that spooks you as much as it spooks me.
Well at least they notify first.<p>US police would just start beating you and throwing you into pens, if you are lucky you won't get coated in pepper spray or hit by a sound cannon.<p>Watch the DNC and RNC conventions next year for examples with their multi-million dollar taxpayer funded "security".<p>But I guess this indicates police everywhere can now just record the phone numbers of everyone in the area to mark people for "watching".
The tone of this message reminds me of the game Paranoia[0]<p>[0]<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_(role-playing_game)" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_(role-playing_game)</a>
We have similar anti demonstration laws in Spain. We have to ask for permission from the government to demonstrate against the government. If you don't have the signed paper, you can be thrown in jail or get huge fines. This shit is getting scary, as they are slowly removing our rights. Only difference now is that they don't really hide it anymore as they don't care.
Combine this story with this one [0] and guess what that means for the future of the US.<p>[0] <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/04/nsa-storing-cell-phone-records-daily-snowden" rel="nofollow">http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/04/nsa-storing-cel...</a>
I wonder if this doesn't encourage people. I mean, they're unhappy with an increasingly oppressive government - won't showing them just how oppressive it can be just tell them they're doing the right thing here?<p>This would be doubly interesting if the message really came from spoofed base stations as apostlion claims.
This is just a cellular version of a guy with a megaphone calling on people to disperse. BTS is the megaphone.<p>The problem is not in the technology. It isn't even all that useful to the regime. They already know where the protesters are. The problem, as always, is in the baton they hold in the other hand.
It would be interesting to conduct a survey whether people agree to 'dissent detection by use of technology'.<p>I wonder how opinions between laymen, politicians or religious people would differ. I think the toughest part would be ensuring survey is not too suggestive and respondents are not lying.
Does this make sense tactically?<p>Consequence 1: Protesters believe they are marked for the gulags, and must go "all the way".<p>Option 2: Don't tell the protesters, but mark them for the gulags. Round them up at night when they are less likely to mount a response.
So basically leave your cell phone at home, if you plan on being near a protest especially if you are going to be participating?<p>Cameras that are not attached to phones I suppose will become more popular at protests anywhere such a system is in place.
<i>"To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape"</i><p>* Sun Tzu(544-496 BC), The art of war.<p>>This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object, as Tu Mu puts it, is "to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair." Tu Mu adds pleasantly: "After that, you may crush him."
For those who want to learn about this issue through an investigative news story instead of one of Vice's opinion pieces:<p><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/21/ukraine-protesters-being-spied-on-cell-phones/" rel="nofollow">http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/21/ukraine-prot...</a>
Not to take away from the story, because it's downright awful, but in Ukraine, most phones use pay as you go burner sims. That's what I used when I went there. I picked a sim card up for $1.<p>My point is that fortunately, most of those phones are not tied to you and your social security number like phones in America.
... coming to a united kingdom or state near you soon!<p>Edited: so soon that it's already happened: <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/12/massive-domestic-monitorning/" rel="nofollow">http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/12/massive-domestic-mo...</a>
Hey guys. For those concerned, please support ukrainians, Euromaidan is in strong need for financial donations <a href="http://www.helpeuromaidan.info/donate" rel="nofollow">http://www.helpeuromaidan.info/donate</a>
There is an upshot to this and the (over-)reliance of the surveillance state on technology - leave your cell phone at home when going to a protest or riot and never be suspected of being a participant in the first place.