By: Diane Benjamin
The above link is to a Business Insider story about China monitoring its citizens in order to control them. A Social Credit score is assigned based on your activities, a low score means you are a threat to the regime.
The story lists 10 ways China gathers data, I picked 4:
In March of 2020 Normal paid $18,000 for this: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3580
Tonight Normal is renewing this membership: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3962
What is Zencity? See their website: https://zencity.io/case_studies/how-meriden-used-social-media-to-encourage-social-distancing-resident-safety/
That is a link to how Meridan Ct. uses this software. Lots of cities are featured, including Decatur.
Decatur used the software to gauge public opinion on where Cares Act money needed to be used. They likely got accurate input from citizens because helping small businesses was at the top.
Meridan has this quote in their synopsis:
If you didn’t notice a couple of strange items, read it again.
Meriden population is 59,053 and dropping. Normal hired a communications manager about a year ago, is using this software her job?
If you haven’t figured it out, Zencity has the ability to monitor social media. Their website has examples of how public opinion is shaped by finding out what is being said.
China anyone?
Of course Normal will say they aren’t spying on citizens. Keep in mind, these are the same people who don’t want to hear from citizens because they disrupt their “business meeting”.
Zencity is a software that can be used for good. It is also one that can be used for very bad. If you trust government to only use it for good you need to study history. Unless government has limited abilities it will turn to tyranny.
See more about Zencity on their website, page down: https://zencity.io/zencity-for-cities/
Interesting how there are no more Citizen Summits and now the town pays a ton of money to monitor social media and a PR person to handle damage control. I remember Koos saying the reason people are upset with the town’s agenda is because “the town needs to do a better job of telling the town’s story.”
We will be force-fed the 21 year old Koos agenda. Vocal dissenters will be identified through software, targeted, and suppressed. I don’t expect residents will be asked what they want again unless it is between 2 acceptable choices like should Normal spend $24 or $29 million for Koos’ the bicycle underpass.
Normal police are replacing miniature Covert GPS magnetic tracking devices. I’m sure they only track drug dealers. https://gpsandtrack.com/covert-track/
Like any tool it can be abused. It can help define consensus or it can be used to smother opposition for the power hungry.
If we use google, facebook, twitter, China and the democrat’s cancel culture as a guide – it WILL be abused.
Watching conspiracy theories more accurately described ans information analysis become reality.
Yep, in a nutshell. The “conspiracy theorist” tactic has been used under various monikers ever since at least Lenin in order to try and turn the rank and file against the people trying to warn them of the coming dangers. I’m sure it has been used ever since there has been corrupt governments and tyrants.
Big Brother is watching…or in Pam’s case, Sister. I wonder if she used this tool to put the hammer to Maggie Milyes, and Joe’s Station House for not bowing to Pritzker’s in-door dining recommendation? Pam was the only person who reported these places to the police and demand they bow.
Possibly, they are also using human snitches. I have heard this from more than one business owner or manager who I know. It’s getting more and more like Nazi Germany or Mao’s China all of the time, plus they have tons more technology to add to to their arsenal.
The walls already have ears at Chamber events, EDC, and various civic and social groups already. Anyone that questions the local leadership narrative is ostracized. Question Uptown or taxpayer-funded perks for Rivian and watch what happens to your business. This is just a high-tech enhancement to the existing human network already in place. So sad.
While the in-crowd continues to get excited about the new green guy in town, the local insurance industry continues to downsize and higher education is forced to re-invent itself to survive. More small business owners continue to lose ground daily and some have given up entirely. True to form, the entrenched local elitist establishment chooses to see what it wants to see and choose denial over reality. With or without Rivian, BN refuses to recognize that small government, low taxes, and economic diversification is the key to consistent community growth. But again, the Chicago types and rural know-it-alls that moved here twenty years ago are in control. They are here to stay and don’t care what anyone thinks.
Don’t I know it. Several years ago, I warned about big red playing fast and loose with their employee headcount numbers and moving out tech, management, and skilled labor while relocating more low-skill, low-paying jobs to BN. The topic was then, as I suspect now, strictly taboo. Overall, the local puppetmasters have successfully runoff any innovative companies because their egos are too fragile to learn something new and/or the overlords at big red told them to. Rivian was and still is a stroke of luck, not the result of Koos’ business acumen or an amazing community. The Town was desperate and would have sold the building to anyone just to make sure it didn’t get bulldozed. Once the tabulations are complete, I suspect BN will be in the red on this “investment.”
Yep, and it’s really sad that people like that even exist, I wonder what sort of perks or treats they get for being for being little snitches, because I am pretty sure they get some.
This is typical of little coward bullies who don’t have the guts to face people directly and defend their nefarious little schemes. Right in line with Koos & Co.’s character (or lack thereof, more apt). One of these days they WILL have to face people directly. That will be interesting.