Beck Exposes ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Language Giving Feds Authority to Take Control of Computers
Got this email a few minutes ago and thought you should hear about it.
WARNING: Beck Exposes ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Language Giving Feds Authority to Take Control of Computers
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:19:26 -0400
Before you decide to participate in this, it is important that you know all the facts first…this is amazing…I can’t believe how much Government thinks they can infringe on our rights!!!!!
Beck Exposes ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Language Giving Feds Authority to Take Control of Computers
By Jeff Poor (Bio | Archive)
July 31, 2009 – 21:09 ET
Say what you want about the Fox News Channel’s Glenn Beck and his antics, but to give credit where credit is due, he exposed some disturbing language from the Obama administration’s “Cash for Clunker” program Web site Cars.gov.
Beck on his July 31 program hosted a segment about the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) Web site, also known as “Cash for Clunkers” and demonstrated what a Web browser would encounter when logging on to the system.
“Here is Cars.gov. Let’s say you go in, if I understand this right – I go in and I say, ‘I want to turn in my clunker.’ The dealer goes to Cars.gov, and then they hit submit transaction. Here it says, ‘Privacy Act & Security Statement,’ and you’re just like, ‘Oh, it’s the Privacy Act of 1974. Whatever, I agree. Now, this is how bad this system is.”
However, once the Web operator proceeds beyond that point in the dealers section – the government has some very frightening language about what authority they have over your computer posted, as Beck reported. Ordinary consumers wouldn’t encounter this warning, but the information contained in the dealer’s computers might include theirs.
“A warning box comes up, and it says, ‘This application provides to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a federal computer system and it is property of the United States government,’” Beck read. “‘Any and all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, DoT and law enforcement personnel, as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.’”
“Good God almighty!” Beck said.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a legal analyst for Fox News interpreted the language to mean the government has very broad authority over your computer – including the ability to seize personal and private information.
“Could it be any more broad or frightening?” Guilfoyle said. “Here you are trying to be a good citizen and make a charitable contribution, do something that’s good and guess what – they are jumping right inside you, seizing all of your personal and private information and it’s absolutely legal Glenn.”
Guilfoyle also said legally the government can use Web software to track your computer any time they want once you’ve logged into the site.
“They can continue to track you basically forever,” Guilfoyle said. “Once they’ve tapped into your system, and the government of course has like malware systems and tracking cookies – they can tap in any time they want.”
August 1st, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Great.
At least I know why my computer has been coming up with a major malware problem. Ever since visiting the site sometime when it was first made popular a couple of weeks ago, my computer is very slow and the trojan alert has been opening up.
I need to clear it. Any ideas? My private and personal info as well as contracts and patents (lucky no non patented designs) are on my hard drive.
Send me a note if you can clean this computer… Otherwise, it become a donation to the Salvation Army minus the hard drive.
JL Mealer
Mealer Companies LLC
http://mealercompanies.com
America’s Next Major Automaker
& Renewable Energy Device MFG.
August 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
You will need to low level format the harddrive in order to remove the root kit and trojan.reinstall the os through regular setup off the install disk.If your using Vista,after the install you will need to take ownership of the file”tunnel.sys” then move it to your documents folder where it can’t be loaded when system is booted.Vista os does not require tunnel.sys to function or connect to internet wheather through dial up,eithernet or wireless.Its not needed at all and is used in most as a back door by your isp.Hope this helps.
August 7th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Does this apply to the dealers computer as he is submitting voucher. If so the dealer would also have the consumer information in his computer. Why would the govt. do this as they probably can get information from our on line transactions now unless they want to catch more people in the web through this backroom approach? Where is the transparancy?
August 11th, 2009 at 6:47 am
someone asked \"Why wouldthe govt. do this..\" well, I guess it\’s part of homeland security, and they think all the citizens getting into debt for new cars are probably terrorists, and they NEED to do it. Right? How do you feel about homeland security now? Also, watch the video \"money as debt\" and you will understand where this CARS program comes from in the first place. If you have a car that is paid for, it is not financially in your best interest to get another monthly payment.
August 12th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Beck should be arrested and/or fined. He has registered as a dealer and attempting to submit a transaction as a dealer would have to do to get his $4500. Dealers have to agree to the terms to participate in the program. They knew the tearms up front. John Q public would never see that portion of the site if he wanted consumer information about the program. If you buy a car and and trade in a clunker you do not have to do anything with the cars.gov site or submit anything. The dealer does it. The dealer is going to enter your name, address, phone number, and data about your car. Guess what? The same information gets recorded when you get your license plates.
It is all scaremongering.
August 13th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Gary you wrote “Dealers have to agree to the terms to participate in the program. They knew the tearms up front. John Q public would never see that portion of the site if he wanted consumer information about the program.” You are right…the public will not see what the government is doing. Without people like Glenn Beck exposing this we would not hear about it. So you don’t care if the Obama administration will be collecting all the information on the car dealers computer. I bet if Bush had done the same thing you would be screaming your head off. I know I would. It’s not about left and right anymore. Both Republican and Democrats are TIRED of the people in Washington and our state capitals not listening to us and doing whatever the hell they want to.
Keep reading my blog and commenting.