The Trump administration is on its way to creating every authoritarian’s dream: a centralized database containing intimate details about every resident of this country, fully searchable by artificial intelligence. This powerful tool would empower the government to conduct previously unimagined levels of surveillance and harassment against its own people.

Freedom of the Press Foundation is suing the administration for documents behind the database. We know that this isn’t just something that the Trump administration would exploit; once built, it’s unlikely any administration could resist the urge to weaponize our personal information.

This nightmare privacy scenario began one year ago, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order that expanded data sharing across the federal government. The administration touted the order, “Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos,” as a way to target fraud within a supposedly bloated government.

The order was no such thing.

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[–] 43 points 7 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 18 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    If a private company does it, they can "sell" the data to the government and all the government needs to see it is pay.

    If the government has the data, then there is laws and regulations about how they use it.

    Like most things trump does, the problem already existed, most people were just ignorant until someone as stupid as trump tried to trick them.

    That's why we keep seeing people acting shocked that trump is doing what's been done for decades. The problem is they tend to act like trump and refuse to accept that they realized late. But at least they're finally starting to notice

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  • [–] 24 points 7 months ago

    They already have. Thats what DOGE was for. The massive data centers are critical infrastructure for the AI surveillance state.

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  • [–] 35 points 7 months ago (7 children)

    Folks: you gotta stop saying Trump Trump Trump. He doesn't personally give a shit about any database. The capitalist oligarchy that put him in office does. He's not a great man but the money behind him is massive. Don't be fooled.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] -1 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    Lol... "the capitalist oligarchy"?

    Is the GOP. Trump is the shitty, dilapidated face of the GOP, so people say Trump sometimes.

    Oversimplification of the problems we face is a mistake. You can't blame the economic system for corruption when corruption can take place so easily in virtually any system.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Historically capital captured democrats supported these types of initiatives in the past, such as the patriot act and its renewals, as well as increased funding to the institutions that implemented Prism.

    Both sides are very much beholden to capital interests, so it's accurate to call it capitalist oligarchs.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (1 child)

    Oh, I'm not a fan of the democrats. Fuck 'em.

    But what's your alternative? Do you think corruption vanishes when capitalism crumbles?

    Sweet summer child, history does not agree with your platitudinous outlook.

    I fucking hate the American corporate system. I hate what they do to everyone, myself included. I'm not even against changing that system.

    But that alone won't solve this problem... If you believe otherwise, I have a bridge I'd like to share with you.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago*

    My comment is in response to the idea that only the GOP are 'The capitalist Oligarchy', my point is both sides are fucked, the Democrats just slow down the fucking.

    But what’s your alternative?

    I think building up an alternative system within our current one so that there's not a power vacuum when it all collapses is the best path forward. This is known as Prefiguration. Ideally, we'd prefigure towards a libertarian socialist society, much like was practiced in Catalonia in the 30's, and as depicted in The Dispossessed.

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  • [–] 15 points 7 months ago* (5 children)

    i remember in 2016 when the republican database of citizens leaked. it had like 25 variables per person. i downloaded it (i think i might still have it) and it was about as right as the algorithm that thinks i'm a radiological oncologist.

    all it had correct about me was my address.

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  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    10 years later their tools are unfathomably better.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    the algorithm still thinks i'm a radiological oncologist.

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago

    Lmao fun fact everyone, you are already in many massive secret government databases and have been for years, long predating Trump

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago

    If I’ve been doing anything right I’m already in several.

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  • [–] 29 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    It's already happening. They just want to legalize it for other use.

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  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    There is no single database for all of this information (but thanks to Palantir there will be for all of this and more), so that is definitely new.

    The tip of the authoritarian easy button iceberg:

    •The Central Intelligence Agency has been granted increased access to domestic law enforcement databases, further blurring the line between foreign intelligence and domestic policing.

    •The so-called Department of Government Efficiency got direct access to Treasury Department payment systems, including Social Security numbers, names, and birthdays, according to a whistleblower.

    •Immigration and Customs Enforcement got access to Medicaid recipients’ data and banking information.

    •The Transportation Security Administration is now sharing biometric passenger info with immigration enforcement, turning every airport check-in into a potential trap.

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  • [–] 18 points 7 months ago

    And the President is a pig-faced child-raping traitor.

    Put that in the database, too.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Tinfoil hat, perpetually mad at the government types still silent for some reason.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 child)

    Yeah seriously, where's all those friggin "Molon Labe" kids now? "2nd protects the 1st"? "Tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty"? "No step on snek"? "Don't agree with you but will fight to the death for your right to say it"? "What did you just say to me you little bitch I'm a navy seal with over 99 confirmed kills"? (Lol)

    Well here it is. The gubbmint wants to monitor your thoughts with the help of hidden microphones everywhere, hacking your phone, and probably space lasers. They want to biometric scan you and your kids just to allow access to electronic devices. They're building databases and literally rounding people up they don't like and putting them in concentration camps, even right here on home soil, no less! They're murdering U.S citzens right here in our cities.

    I thought we'd at least be allies with these types, with some general disagreements on the finer points, but these big tough sheepdoggy guys that seemingly adored the Constitution and AR-15s that were seemingly EVERYWHERE, are suddenly all disappeared, or getting fantastic glutes from all that goose stepping.

    Bunch'a pathetic mall ninjas. It's up to us to be training and looking after each other if we want any chance of brighter days ahead.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Excuse me while I begin preparing to hold my breath on the belief that the next Democratic administration will not only not abuse this system, but will actually abolish it.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    Dumbass. Elon and doge beat him to it. People should be furious.

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  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago*

    Ultimately this sounds fucking stonks for the so-called private prison industry.

    System of a Down - The Prison Song

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  • And people wonder why I have such a hair up my ass about all the data and information large tech collects on us. Organize and arm up.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    It's not really a secret.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (4 children)
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago* (3 children)
    1. or did you want a different one?
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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    Well, not so secret

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    Most people want to put him through a wall.

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  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago

    Doubtless that would be bad if Trump could read.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    No one probably told him about the ones that already exist. That or he's jealous someone else already made it.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Wasn't this what Oracle was literally made for?

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Is “massive” the Trump administration’s word of the day today or what?

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago
    [–] 4 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Okay, make sure that you put a note next to my name that I really don't give a fuck.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    I think it's just for tweens.

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  • 25 comments in c/technology@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 67 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Spoiler alert. You are already in the database. He just wants to make it legal.

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  • [–] 19 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Not sure how much legality matters anymore, "normalize" or "desensitize" might be better words here. Ugh. I hate that's an actual sentence I just typed. And to think there are certainly alternate timelines unimaginably worse than this. My heart breaks for alternate me. 😑

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  • [–] 53 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    I wish it was just trump. Remember Snowden in 2013? I can only imagine the level of surveillance they have nowadays.

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  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    Marketing too... You look at the history of psychology and marketing and how it was bad with cable tv and magazines and politics as well in that era. But now we have our entire lives tracked and psychological manipulation working on us basically constantly.

    The human story isn't a genuine one anymore, the path of humanity is created artificially. Our own lives probably aren't the natural lives we were meant to have. We are losing genuine humanity.

    ...and this is what we are supposed to be willing to die to defend.

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  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago* (1 child)

    Marketers / advertisers are corrupt psychologists (the competent ones anyway), or to use oldspeak propogandists. Some timeless words for consideration.

    “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.” – Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Propaganda, 1933 to 1945

    “Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident they are acting on their own free will.” – Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Propaganda, 1933 to 1945

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  • Gahh.... It goes deeper!!

    I like the idea of calling advertisers corrupt psychologist.

    But I think it's to the point even the psychology and academic industries get bought out. In a way almost like the prison system. I think we have reached a point people can go to school, get a career, and live the American dream, successfully in their eyes and in the eyes of America, without realizing in the end they are working for something that abuses honest humanity.

    I hate being OCD and going down these rabbit holes. I used to just settle with the idea 50% of anything is evil and leave it at that. But now it seems like the majority is either evil or completely owned/useless in terms of living for genuine humanity. So many people are used.

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  • [–] 22 points 7 months ago

    I'm on the list.

    It's called being a registered Democrat.

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    You mean to tell me that such a database doesn't already exist?

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Have you been to the DMV, or Department of Human Services?

    They do not talk to eachother. At all. Your personal documents you carry on you are the database entry.

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago

    That just means that the lowly, customer-facing peons that work for government offices don't have access to any such master database.

    Most people work for companies that hold information inaccessible to them. Other government databases would definitely be on that list.

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    that database is PALINTIR linked most likely, and likely targeting leftists, progressive democratic dissidents mostly.

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Ok, is it my turn now to say waht I want to do to him?

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  • [–] 16 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    As if we haven't been under constant surveillance and our privacy data mined for corporations for decades.

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 child)

    Regular Americans don't understand.

    And people always talk about privacy issues being about law and legality. But the darker issue is the info being used for manipulation.

    Dystopia has been here, but everyone is ignorant. That's sounds mean but it's true. Like if you detox from all the privilege and the entertainment people use to escape reality, then you start to see how far we have gone into the dark dystopic side of humanity. It's already to the point it's too late.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Palantir also has this database. I am in it. You are it. Have been for months.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago

    My fucking thought. Many states in Germany are fucking stupid and are contracting Palantir for police work. And for some illegal reasons they have access to the digital medical records of all citizen who did not opt-out.

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  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago

    Compared to google they're fucking amateurs.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    Jokes on him,I'm already in at least a dozen.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Anyone know if these would be subject to FOIA?

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I think the only new piece here is Trump wants to link in voter data.

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  • 10 comments in c/politics@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 15 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    No kidding? Palantir is busy at it right now, making secret social scores to be used against us, the Antichrist picking winners and losers in society. Hell of an outcome for these United States. Should have let the south secede. None of this would be happening.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    We had the American Civil War in the bag, then the traitorous coward Andrew Johnson let the slaver class keep their wealth and positions in society when they should have been hanged.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    The 1876 election is a factor as well, long story short the republicans stole it, the democrats rabbled, and they made a deal for Hayes, the Republican to win on their alternate electors sent from the military governors of the several states that had them over the real electors, in exchange for ending reconstruction. Just 8 years after Lincoln's death or so, after Grant's second term was over.

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Yep. See you in the death camps.

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  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago

    Palantir has been working on this for a while by getting their claws embedded in government.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    MAGAs primary data point is voting record. That’s what they want.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago
    [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    Just cuz he’s in a big ass govt database over at DoJ now everyone has to be?

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    This is why they are putting data centers in every city. Or at least trying to.

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  • 4 comments in c/lefty_news@ibbit.at view that post
    [–] 9 points 7 months ago

    His DOGE already got the entire SSR database and is using it for whatever purposes they feel like.. Including telling acquaintances they were intending to sell access to their private sector employer (see ongoing legal battle).

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (1 child)

    I am surprised Daddy hasn’t got us all on lists already.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    And you just know that a bunch of the records will be messed up and it will be a pita to fix it before you can get a job or anything.

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  • 1 comment in c/politics@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 9 points 7 months ago

    That’s no secret. That what DOGE, Palintir, and all the massive data centers are for.

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