THE NEW LIBRARY "LOG-IN" POLICY AT CABRILLO COLLEGE
FEB 12TH, 2009
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I would like to take this opportunity to CLARIFY my position on our current impasse with regards to
the new mandatory "log-in" policy that has been implemented at the Cabrillo College Library.
First, let me state up front that i will go under the assumption that this new policy has been imposed
upon you from above. Campuses usually have "instruction councils', or something similiar, that sets
standards and helps implement new policies such as this.
My major point of contention is that this new "log-in" policy VIOLATES students (and citizens) 4th amendment
right to personal privacy. As I've stated previously, though, I have NO PROBLEM using username/password
accounts when it comes to paid credit/unit classes- this is a normal and commonly used practice
throughout most colleges and universities I am familiar with.
The break here concerns this username/password/account system moving into the independent academic library
domain, which is not conditional in regards to fullfilling the requirements of most classes (with a few exceptions).
Having studied the issue of computer security in regards to personal privacy over the years, I know that usernames,
passwords, student ID #'s and the like, not only identify the user of the internet at the time of use, but can monitor, track,
and record e-mail content, web-surfing history (web sites visited), keystrokes, articles printed and a whole slew of
other variables WITHOUT the users knowledge, awareness or consent. [see James Bamford's Book, The Shadow Factory:
The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America] LINK: The Shadow Factory:
The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America
I think if you ask most students, they would rather NOT have to "log-in" to the Internet- they just want it there to use
freely, easily and without the threat of having their privacy violated. This is particularily true of college libraries which
have traditionally operated quasi-independently of college cirriculum class accounts. Your recent policy has dramatically changed this calculus- much to Cabrillo's detriment, i might add...
It is my contention that the intelligence establishment, particularily the US Dept of Homeland Security and the National
Security Agency, are behind these new assaults on our personal privacy here at Cabrillo College.
I know of 2 other California campuses that have installed similiar "log-in" procedure protocols at their libraries (just
recently), so I can only surmise that this is being done statewide, if not across the nation. Again, i follow the evolution
of privacy in regards to the intelligence community and their objective for many years has been to create an illegal
"total information awareness" electronic police state spy and surveillance control grid within our country.
The last 8 years of the Bush Administration has seen a quantum increase in these capabilities. In my opinion, the evolution of technology in general, more than any other factor, has been responsible for this assault on our freedoms, particularily
our cherished 4th Amendment rights to personal privacy.
It is also important to note that our country is imploding economically at the current time. It is no accident that a soviet/stasi
type of police state is being imposed upon us (through state laws, directives and other dictatorial initiatives) through our
educational systems and throughout the general society at large. Witness only the proliferation of surveillance cameras
on most street intersections (all funded by the US Dept of Homeland Security) throughout our country these past years.
Contrary to their stated purpose of monitoring and regulating traffic, they, in effect, track license plate numbers and the general
movement of people. Similiarily, any excuse you can give me as to the 'necessity' of having to impliment a "log-in" policy
at OUR library, cannot compete with the fact that it will, in actuality, be used to track, monitor, restrict, control, spy and surveil
students use of the internet, plain and simple.
I have also made note that CYSCO systems is heavily embedded here at Cabrillo and i will be looking into their role in this as well.
To sum-up, we're losing our country, our freedoms and our liberties to state tyranny, very quickly. Our responsibilty to shape the
kind of society and global information system we want and need in the future is WHY I am devoting so much time, focus and energy on this particular issue.
The book i am attempting to write, "Saving the Planet" [ LINK: http://oocities.com/oldtoby779/planet.html], will be useless
until this current impasse between us is resolved, because this cuts to the very core of the issue. The very same level of consciousness that has created this ILLEGAL spy and surveillance network on our campuses is the VERY SAME level of consciousness responsible for the global environmental crises we are witnessing on our planet today. Resolving this "log-in"
impasse is, by nature, absolutely key to developing our collective ability as a species to save (what's left) of our planet.
Lastly, you are all good people at the Library, i have nothing against you personally or professionally. Its the policy you have implemented that i am opposed to. I will be taking this up the Cabrillo "chain of command" (as well as try to get students involved and educated) so we can come to some sort of arrangement that will work for the good of everyone.
regards,
Steve Jones
Cabrillo College Alumni
http://buks.20m.com
(this is kind of a hobby of mine...)