Is DHS using billboards to spy on the rich?
Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO) has 675,000 billboards worldwide most of which are tracking everyone's smartphones and tablets. CCO's ad program is a partnership between AT&T and other companies that collect location data from smartphones, company officials said.
CCO's smartphone electronic surveillance system is called "RADAR" which they insist, anonymizes everyone's data. But it does much more than that, it tracks consumer's real-world travel patterns and behaviors.
"... RADAR measures consumer's real-world travel patterns and behaviors as they move through their day, analyzing data on direction of travel, billboard viewability, and visits to specific destinations. This movement is then mapped against Clear Channel's displays, allowing advertisers to plan and buy Out-Of-Home to reach specific behavioral audience segments."
Fyi, CCO has been working with the FBI and Police since 2007 and they've partnered with DHS to let them to use their billboards.
"CCO is honored to play a supportive role to law enforcement and public health and safety efforts. Since partnering with both federal and local law enforcement agencies in December, 2007..."
Police use CCO's billboards to identify and locate citizens.
Back in 2011, “an elderly female suffering from Alzheimer’s disease wandered away from family at a local shopping mall and was found by a citizen using the digital billboard information,” recalled retired Police Chief Neil Mahan.
Fast forward to 2013, DHS/Police proudly boasts, that 52 fugitives were featured on CCO billboards in Texas.
“There is no area that is immune to gangs,” Brian Moskowitz, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said.
Police brag about their close relationship with CCO.
“We are only as successful as we have been because of all of the partnerships [CCO] we have developed,” Houston Police Department Captain Dale Brown.
Last month, I warned everyone that DHS had installed surveillance cameras with microphones on NJ's transit system. Privacy advocates called it a monumental invasion of privacy!
And last year, I warned everyone that DHS/Police were using billboards to justify stopping, pedestrians and motorists at heroin checkpoints. DHS also uses CCO billboards to display urgent notifications.
"After months of advertising, one of the most brazen Police State campaigns ever conceived began in Maryland. Police set up rolling heroin checkpoints as a pretense to detain, question, ticket and arrest pedestrians and motorists."
Partnering with corporations is nothing new for DHS/FEMA. DHS has even created a Private Sector Division which is dedicated to partnering with corporations!
"[DHS] Representatives will work to communicate, coordinate, and collaborate between public and private stakeholders to fulfill various objectives..."
image credit: FEMA
According to FEMA, Target, Verizon, Brookfield Properties, Walmart, Big Lots, Citigroup and many more companies are helping DHS spy on the public.
[Representatives] Serve as a critical liaison between FEMA and the private sector
[Representatives] Support and introduce programmatic improvements on a variety of private sector initiatives
CCO also has a close relationship with 'Crime StoppersUSA' which has a close relationship with DHS. (A 'Crime Stoppers and Homeland Security' search returned over 108,000 hits)
Crime Stoppers pays schools, three thousand dollars for every actionable tip they provide to DHS/Police.
"Now the Crime Stoppers program is awarding tip matching donations up to $3,000 per individual student council for supporting and promoting Project Safe Campus in their schools".
Fyi, Crime Stoppers is in every police department in the country and will soon be in every school!
DHS appears to be using billboards to spy on affluent Americans.
Presently, CCO has billboards in 34 airports and 13 public transit hubs. Ironically, CCO is using airport billboards to spy on the rich.
According to CCO's Airport Advertising section...
Airport travelers are active, affluent consumers. (In other words they're targeting the rich)
Frequent flyers are typically business decision makers and comprise of 68% of total airport traffic. (In other words they're spying on business leaders)
Travelers often spend a significant amount of dwell time in the airport. The high dwell times and multiple exposures make for high frequency campaigns. (In other words, they're gathering up tons of info., on a captive audience)
DHS/Cisco's Airport Advertising (Spying)
Don't forget DHS/Police are also using "smart" LED lighting in airports to spy on everyone.
"Using an array of sensors and eight video cameras around the Newark Airport terminal, the Sensity light fixtures are part of a new wireless network that collects and feeds data into software that can spot long lines, recognize license plates and even identify suspicious activity, sending alerts to the appropriate staff."
"Smart" lights are being touted as security devices that can assist with Homeland Security measures by providing applications like video surveillance and motion sensors."
CCO's commuter rail billboards, spy on upscale business professionals
Reaches a captive, upscale suburban commuter in addition to lunch-time patrons, shoppers and business professionals. (In other words DHS/CCO are gathering lots of info., spying on captive business professionals)
Offers "face-to-face" impact in TrainCard, on platforms, in waiting areas, and in high traffic corridors. (In other words they're spying on commuters at train stations & platforms)
DHS/CCO's Commuter Rail Advertising (Spying)
CCO's transit shelter billboards, spy on 'desirable neighborhoods'
Concentrated in densely populated areas of a market where other 'Out of Home' coverage is often limited or unavailable. (In other words they're using bus shelters to spy on commuters)
Community positioning around desirable neighborhoods and major retail centers. (in other words they're spying on blue collar workers)
DHS/CCO's Transit Shelter Advertising (Spying)
(At approx. 2:40 watch, as a man eagerly gives CCO his personal info)
All this shouldn't come as a surprise, back in 2010 the public had been warned that NEC had developed facial recognition billboards. Click here, here & here to find out more.
Is this the America you want, where DHS is allowed to use billboards and microphones to spy on the public?