CIA

Information Awareness Office (IAO)

Information Awareness Office (IAO): A project of the Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The IAO is responsible for a controversial project at the Pentagon called Total Information Awareness, run by former Reagan aide and convicted criminal John Poindexter. Total Information Awareness is a master database of corporate databases, collecting information on anyone and anything, proportedly to “catch bad guys.” Who the bad guys they are after are is a subject of concern. This kind of a database would allow the government wide-scale access to information about law-abiding citizens, which is why it’s so controversial, and under attack from both liberal and conservative elements, including the ACLU.

But, don’t worry, because you can buy the IAO Thong!

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FBI and customer discount cards

According to Fox News: Store Customer Cards a Source for FBI?

So you have a secret craving for Little Debbie peanut butter bars and a penchant for Kendall-Jackson merlot?

While that customer loyalty card at the supermarket might perceivably save you a few pennies at the checkout counter, your buying habits could end up in the hands of government agents.

According to one privacy expert, at least one national grocery chain voluntarily handed over to the government records from its customer loyalty card database in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

And others say customer databases — including those culled from travel, financial and insurance industries — are routinely shared with the government for surveillance purposes.

“I think this is exactly what the FBI wants to do and there really isn’t any obstacle to them doing it anymore,” charged Lee Tien, a policy analyst with the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

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