US drones and private citizens

1. 92

   habeeposted 11 years ago

   Should US drones be used to spy on American citizens? Rand Paul introduced a bill to make it illegal: http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valle … rveillance
   
   Whatcha think?

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      Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Not without a warrant or, IMHO, it would be an illegal search.

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure I'm ready to make drones completely illegal--they could be very useful in a search-and-rescue situation, for example. If my kids were lost in the desert, I'd want the authorities to use people, aircraft, drones, satellites, and whatever else they have, to look for them.
      
      But for general law-enforcement, I don't like it. Too much potential for abuse, and we've already seen warrantless wiretapping, and other egregious infringements without the drones. Plus, a pilot friend of mine pointed out that a remotely piloted drone has problems that a manned aircraft doesn't have. They don't have the same ability to look around as a pilot does, which means they're more likely not to notice other aircraft in the area. Further, if they lose contact with the remote pilot (and this can happen), they may crash or collide with another aircraft, which puts people in greater danger. Is it likely? Not really, but it is possible. Add that to the almost certain infringements on civil liberties that would go along with the use of drones, and it totals up to a very bad idea.
      
      Bottom line: drones are good for search-and-rescue operations only, and a terrible idea for evidence-gathering and other law-enforcement applications.

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      1. 92

         habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         +1

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2. 66

   Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

   Aren't you allowed to shoot intruders that persist in invading your space?

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      Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      The government might frown upon the shooting down a multi-million dollar drone. Just saying.

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         UnnamedHaraldposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Speaking of multi-million dollar drones, recently a military drone crashed in Maryland. If you think a drone the size of a large model airplane crashing in a populated area might be problematic, think of a plane-sized, $172,000,000 drone crashing. It was reported to be a training exercise.

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            Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Did they check to see if the person's yard in which it crashed was wanted in some way or possibly a Republican or Conservative?

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It'd be pretty hard to prove that you felt that an aircraft thousands of feet away was threatening your life.

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         Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, buzzing ones house is one thing. If it's taken out with a well-placed sniper shot with a large caliber rifle I suspect the shooter would get a visit from some very disgruntled military types.

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            Reality Bytesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            If they are military types, the Posse Comitatus has been violated.  Either the President signed a secret executive Order or our military is acting extremely illegally!

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               Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               When speaking of the Obama possibilities, anything could happen.
               
               What is that strange noise? Hold on. There's a small plane circling my house. Why are those doors opening on the . . .

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3. 59

   SpanStarposted 11 years ago

   Private invasion when does it stop?
   
   Everything that we type on the Internet is captured and stored to be used against us if necessary. Everything voice transmitted is captured and stored to be used against us if necessary.
   
   Who can be trusted with your private information?
   
   If someone takes your information and uses it in a negative way can you prove this-(all criminals are not stupid)?
   
   Want your private information is no you become target-example let the business community know you have foot fungus and watched the junk mail pile up.
   
   Already we have become just like cattle and having your private information means some degree of control over you.

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      handymanbillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think it is a great idea. They should not be able to overfly your property and gather information.

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         SpanStarposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         And you trust these people to not spy on you?

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4. 66

   Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

   We are allowed to shoot Magpies if they knowingly invade our space!
   
   Now Magpies that knowingly invade our space for the express purpose of gathering personal information, snooping or bombing our neighbors... that's a whole different story and as such, probably should be approached on a shoot first - ask questions later basis...  
   That way they can never claim to have been acting unwittingly!  

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5. 0

   Longhunterposted 11 years ago

   The shooting down of a government drone would not be a good example of:
   
   "It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission."
   
   Since the HubPages moderators are circling, I'll put this as delicately as possible.
   
   The shooting down of a government drone could leave you up an excrement waterway in a Native American floating vessel without a wooden propulsion device.

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      Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Yeah Okay... I admit that I was considering the whole process from a Mr McGoo perspective!
      
      Yep.. you need to watch the vindictive one with the Drone-like personality that has a tendency to Always fondle my Accolades and continuously remove some of them when he/she dislikes my posts!
      
      Amazing!!   I keep getting my brownie points taken off me by someone who doesn't understand the Kiwi Accent and thinks that I am being out of line when I comment on certain things or S-s-s-s-s-tu-t-t-t-t-ter instead of swearing!

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6. 0

   screamingposted 11 years ago

   The question makes it sound like they're spying on everyone. I could careless, as I'm sure most don't care either, unlessl they have something to hide.The others are just paranoid. Austin Scott in Georgia needs to concentrate on jobs and the economy not drones.

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      Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Many a job has been seen from a higher plane

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         Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Were you suppose to put "Confucius says . . ." in front of that?

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            Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            In a political forum in the US... I was being polite not making such Chinese references ...
            besides, he was better known for the one: "Man who fly upside down - must have crack up!" 

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               Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               
               
               
               
               

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               American Viewposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               LMAO

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                  handymanbillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  P.D. That's the best I have seen in a while

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