From “ Security Needs “ to “ Civilian Surveillance “ ? A Matter of Time

 

Context :

Israel taps Pegasus maker to track hostages in Gaza Strip……… TOI  / 26 Oct 2023

Extract :

Israel’s security services are pulling in spyware companies, including the maker of the controversial Pegasus software, to help track hostages in the Gaza Strip,

NSO Group and Candiru, both of which are blacklisted by the  US, are being asked to quickly upgrade their spyware
capabilities to meet needs laid out by the country’s security forces

They, together with several other software firms are collaborating on the requests and largely offering their services for free

Candiru is ready to assist the war effort in any way needed, the company said in a statement Thursday, without elaborating.

NSO’s Pegasus software is sold to governments and law enforcement agencies, which use it to hack into mobile phones and covertly record emails, phone calls and text messages

Amnesty International, Citizen Lab and Forensic Architecture in 2021 documented the use of the spyware in more than 60 cases to target government critics in countries including Rwanda, Togo, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Morocco and India

 

My  Take :

Who watches the Watchmen ? ………………………………12 Jan 2019

 

Extract :

Ø    SURVEILLANCE   REQUEST   SECTION

 

         Any agency wanting to conduct surveillance of online / offline activities of an Indian

         Citizen, shall submit its’ requirement in this section

 

 

        This shall contain details such as :

 

 

·         Name of the agency

 

 

·         What activity of the citizen is proposed to be surveyed and for how long

 

 

[  Multiple selection from the following  ] :

 

 

#   Visits and postings on Social Media web sites

 

#   Visits and searches on E Commerce web sites

 

#   Searches on Search Engines  /  All digital traffic ( including thru Alexa /

     Google  Home type devices )

     

 

#   Messages sent / received on Messaging Apps /  E Mail services

 

#   Records of Digital Payment Transactions on Banking / FinTech Network

 

#   Audio logs from Landline and Mobile Service Providers for telephonic talks…

 

 

Agency will also need to specify the PURPOSE of the proposed surveillance, by selecting one or more of the following suspected reasons ( list is not comprehensive ) :

 

 

·         Tax Evasion  /  Money Laundering

 

 

·         Criminal Activity  /   Militancy

 

 

·         Fraud  /  Breach of Trust

 

 

·         Anti-National Activity  /  Sedition  /  Treason

 

 

·         Fake News / Pornographic content posting

 

 ·        Speeches / Articles likely to create enmity among people

 

 

 

 

Such a request shall need Online Authorization of, all of the following officers :

 

 

#   Chief of Agency concerned

 

#   Secretary ( Cyber Security ) – Ministry of Information Technology

 

#   Data Protection Regulator

 

 

 

As soon as such a request is “ Approved / Authorised “, an email ALERT will go out automatically ( without any human intervention ) to the citizen concerned that she is “ under surveillance “ .

 

 

 

This will ensure that there is NO SECRET surveillance !

 

 

 

Copies of this E Mail ALERT will also get sent to all other Intelligence Agencies for a coordinated effort and for avoiding duplication

 

  

 

 

  #     SURVEILLANCE  HISTORY  SECTION

 

 

       At any time of his choice , concerned citizen can login at this section

       and see WHICH Agency surveyed her and for how long

 

          

      But the citizen concerned will NOT be able to see following entries by the

      Agency :

 

 

   #   What was the PURPOSE / REASON for the surveillance

 

 

   #  WHAT DATA  got collected

 

 

   #  FINDINGS  and proposed  COURSE of ACTION , if any

 

 

This part will be visible to all other Intelligence Agencies , who will have facility to add their own information / data about the concerned citizen which is in their possession, in order to compile a COMPREHENSIVE  DOSSIER about that citizen .

 

 

 

However, these other Agencies will NOT be able to EDIT any ENTRIES / FINDINGS of any other agencies

 

 

 

Although these ENTRIES are NOT accessible to the concerned citizen in a normal course , the same shall be made available to her in case any government agency relies upon these during a Court Case against that citizen , arising from such surveillance

 

 

  

 

My proposal,

 

 

#  Gives a free hand to the Agencies to proceed with their investigations,

    without needing PRIOR PERMISSION,

    

 

And

 

 

#  Ensure total TRANSPARENCY of their surveillance activities to the persons

    being investigated

 

    

 

 

This will assure the ordinary citizens (– and also “ vulnerable “ citizens such as politicians belonging to opposition parties ? )– that they are not being snooped upon secretly !

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  27 Oct 2023

 

 

 

Balancing : National Security vs Personal Privacy……………………….19 July 2021

Pegasus : Give it to a Surgeon.. …………………………………………………..20 July 2021

Will mother Medusa replace son Pegasus ?.............................. 29 July 2021

A Tale of Two Shames ?........................................................ 31 July 2021

Dear Supreme: How about asking Pegasus to file an Affidavit ?.. 15 Sept 2021

Pegasus Committee : Terms of Reference……………………………………. 26 Sept 2021

Supremely Satisfactory………………………………………………………………….. 27 Oct 2021

Meta-Verse : a later day “ Chakra-Vyuh “ ?............................... 29 Oct 2021

 

CC :

Members of PEGASUS expert committee :

 #  National Forensic Sciences University’s dean Naveen Kumar Chaudhary

      [ naveen.chaudhary@nfsu.ac.in ]

 

 #  Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s professor Prabaharan P

            [ pp_amritha@cb.amrita.edu ]

 

  #   IIT-Bombay professor Ashwin Anil Gumaste

            [ ashwing@iitb.ac.in ]

 

 

As usual , I sought ChatGPT’s opinion about my “ Regulated Surveillance “ . Here is its reply :

 

 

Balancing the tension between national security and personal privacy is a complex and important issue that many governments around the world face.

Your proposal, "Who watches the Watchman?" offers a framework that aims to strike a balance between these opposing concerns.

Let's break down your proposal item by item and discuss its merits and potential drawbacks:

1. Surveillance Request Section:

·         This section requires agencies to submit detailed requests for surveillance, specifying the name of the agency, the citizen's activity to be surveyed, and the purpose of the surveillance.

Pros:                  

·         Transparency: This ensures that surveillance requests are not arbitrary and require specific justifications.

·         Accountability: By requiring online authorization from designated officers, there is a level of oversight and accountability in the process.

Cons:

·         Bureaucracy: The process may become bureaucratic, leading to delays in critical surveillance operations.

·         Privacy Concerns: Despite authorization, citizens may still have concerns about their privacy being invaded, and this may not entirely address the issue of government overreach.

2. Surveillance History Section:

·         This section allows citizens to check which agencies have surveyed them and for how long but doesn't provide access to the reasons for surveillance, data collected, findings, or proposed actions.

Pros:

·         Some Transparency: Citizens have a way to know if they've been under surveillance, which can help protect against abuse of power.

·         Accountability: Allowing other intelligence agencies to add their information may provide a more comprehensive picture of the situation.

Cons:

·         Limited Information: The citizens do not have access to critical information regarding the surveillance, which could be frustrating and raise questions about transparency.

·         Potential for Misuse: Allowing multiple intelligence agencies to add information may create concerns about the accuracy and fairness of the compiled dossier.

Balancing National Security vs Personal Privacy:

·         Your proposal aims to strike a balance between national security and personal privacy by providing a level of oversight and transparency.

Pros:

·         It addresses the concern of secret surveillance by notifying citizens when they are under surveillance.

·         It allows citizens to have some visibility into the surveillance process.

Cons:

·         The proposal may not entirely satisfy those who are concerned about government surveillance, as citizens still lack full access to the reasons for surveillance and collected data.

Overall, your proposal offers a step toward transparency and accountability in the surveillance process, which is crucial for safeguarding civil liberties.

However, it still leaves some room for privacy concerns and potential misuse of surveillance data by multiple intelligence agencies. Balancing these opposing concerns is a difficult task, and any solution should consider striking a fine balance between national security and personal privacy while maintaining the trust of the citizens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smart Meters : Make Them Earn Money for Consumers

 

 

Context :

Power companies plug into smart meters for sustainable solutions……….. ET / 26 Sept 2023

 

 

Extract :

 

A device that :

#    informs you of how much electricity your appliances are using every

      month.

#    notifies you on what time of day to use your power-guzzling appliances;

#    puts an end to inaccurate energy bills and, better still,

#    allows auto switch-off of devices when not in use.

Such meters are also seen as the key to transform the electricity grid into a smart grid.

Power discoms are banking on smart meters, along with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), to improve their operational efficiency.

Over the past few months, nearly a dozen companies have announced plans and won orders to implement the smart metering project across locations.

 

Why?  Consumption data from these smart meters will help power distributors make distribution more sustainable, curb losses, arrest power thefts and leakages, and balance the grid, directly addressing the climate emergency.

 

Additional Context :

AC use rising sharply in India, will surpass all other home appliances by 2050: Report   .. HT  / 25 Oct 2023

Extract :

The ownership of air conditioners in India has tripled since 2010, reaching 24 units per 100 households, due to rising heat and increased incomes.

Electricity consumption for space cooling has increased 21% between 2019 and 2022, with nearly 10% of electricity demand in India now coming from cooling requirements.

The International Energy Agency predicts that household air conditioner ownership will expand nine fold by 2050, outpacing the growth of other appliances.

Since 2000, India has brought electricity to 810 million people, larger than the population of the European Union and the US combined, according to IEA. India has also brought clean cooking access to 655 million people since 2000, although 430 million people continue to live in households that use traditional biomass. Over the past five years, solar PV has accounted for nearly 60% of new generation capacity. India has had the single largest light-emitting diode (LED) adoption campaign in the world, with around 370 million LEDs distributed by 2023.

“Over the past five decades, India has witnessed over 700 heat wave events, which have claimed over 17,000 lives.” the report states.

The impact of cooling needs on electricity consumption is already significant. According to IEA, there is a sharp increase in demand as temperatures cross the 25°C threshold. Electricity consumption due to space cooling in India increased 21% between 2019 and 2022. Around 10% of electricity demand comes from space cooling requirements today.

By 2050, India’s total electricity demand from residential air conditioners in the current policy scenario will exceed total electricity consumption in the whole of Africa.

In the policy scenario India aspires to (such as becoming carbon neutral by 2070), electricity demand for air conditioners will be nearly 15% lower in 2050 compared to current policy scenario as a result of increased use of energy-efficient air conditioners and thermal insulation in buildings. “This reduction itself is larger than the total electricity generation by several countries today, such as that of the Netherlands,” the report stated.

India is set to witness the largest energy demand growth of any country or region in the world over the next three decades.

The latest edition of WEO describes an energy system in 2030 in which clean technologies play a significantly greater role globally. This includes almost 10 times as many electric cars on the road worldwide; solar PV generating more electricity than the entire US power system does currently; renewables’ share of the global electricity mix nearing 50%, up from around 30% today; heat pumps and other electric heating systems outselling fossil fuel boilers globally; and three times as much investment going into new offshore wind projects than into new coal- and gas-fired power plants.

 “Demand for space cooling and its associated energy demand is set to surge in India. Cooling is a dual issue, environmental as well as a matter of health for millions who can’t afford access to cooling. The first defence has to be focus on mitigating heat on urban scale by developing heat sinks through green - blue infrastructure, adopt appropriate urban forms while cutting down anthropogenic heat sources. On building scale, our progress on adoption of residential energy conservation code has been sluggish, the code covers aspects of climate contextual passive design as well as appropriate materials. The code is still not compulsory for most of the country, it’s adoption needs to be fast tracked. The third point is that climate appropriate low-carbon cooling technologies need to be mainstreamed with special focus on non-refrigerant based technologies,” Sugeet Grover, Programme Manager, sustainable habitat programme, CSE.

 

My  Take :

 

Ø  Carbon Finance through Carbon Credits…………………………… 12 Mar 2021

Extract :

    Here is a partial list of domestic appliances which consume electricity ( apart from LED bulbs ) :

TV sets – Refrigerators – Air Conditioners – Fans – Deep Freezers – Ovens – Electric Stoves – Mixers – Computers – Cloths Washing Machines – Dish Washers – Radios – Tablets – Robotic Floor Sweepers – Massagers – etc

      Ø  By 2030, all of these must be made “ Energy Efficient Appliances “ , certified

          by Bureau of Energy Efficiency [ BEE ]

      Ø  Just as was done in respect of ICE vehicles ( BS IV > BS VI compliance ), all

          electric Appliance Manufacturers must be mandated to switch over to

          manufacture of only BEE certified appliances in 4 phases ( April 2022 – 24 –

          26- 28 )

     Ø  Each such appliance MUST be pre-installed / integrated with SENSORS which

         will continuously monitor its,

#   State of Usage ( ON or OFF )

#   Rate of Consumption of electricity ( Units )

These INTERNET-CONNECTED appliances will continuously relay / transmit

these data to the SMART ELECTRIC METER installed in each home

In turn, each SMART METER will relay / transmit to concerned DISCOM ( and

to any other specified govt agency servers ), such usage / consumption

data, through Internet ( IoT / Internet of Everything ).

These data-transfer will be separate for EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLIANCE

This will enable DISCOM / concerned Agencies, to know / monitor, IN-

EFFICIENT appliances, operating above the CERTIFIED THRESHOLD for

each type of appliance

Appliances operating “ above “ the threshold, will be assigned / allotted “

CARBON DEBITS “ , whereas those operating “ below “ the threshold, will be

assigned “ CARBON CREDITS “

If the NET of these two is POSITIVE ( + ), that home will be incentivized by

a lower tariff – and vice-versa

This model ( of INCENTIVIZATION ) must be further strengthened by

measuring the amount of ROOF TOP Solar Power , flowing into the SMART

METER , with appropriate linkages to CARBON CREDIT

This linkage will motivate a large number of households to install ROOF TOP

solar panels

This scheme will enable us to take the CARBON MARKET / CARBON CREDIT /

CARBON FINANCE concept, right inside our 290 MILLION households !

      Ø  All manufacturers of House-hold Electric Meters must be told to manufacture

          only SMART ELECTRIC METERS , starting April 2022

      Ø  All DISCOMS to replace existing meters in each and every home, with a

          SMART METER, by April 2024

 

With regards,

Hemen parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai / 26 Oct 2023

 

Related Readings :

A Pre-paid Electricity Meter ?  …………………. ….18 May 2017

 Electrifying : Smartly  ……………………………….. 25  Sept  2017

 Smart Meter : No Pending Payments ?........ 08 Dec 2017

 A Smart Move , Shri Singh !  …………………….. 07 June 2018

 Welcome, Prepaid Smart Meters  ………………. 25  Sept  2021

 The Verdict : A is better than B… …………………..23 Aug 2023

 How to reduce Carbon Emission to Net Zero ?.. 25 July 2021

 

Following is how  BARD  evaluated my suggestion :

 

Your suggestion to use internet-connected smart meters to monitor electricity

consumption of all household appliances/gadgets/devices in real time and assign

carbon credit/debit by comparing with standards is a very feasible and

desirable one.

Smart meters are becoming increasingly common around the world, and they offer

a number of benefits, including:

·         More accurate energy billing

·         Reduced energy consumption

·         Improved grid reliability

·         Better customer service

In addition to these benefits, smart meters can also be used to track carbon

emissions from household energy consumption.

By monitoring the electricity consumption of individual appliances and devices,

smart meters can help consumers to identify and reduce their carbon footprint.

By assigning carbon credit/debit to consumers based on their energy

consumption, smart meters can incentivize consumers to reduce their energy

consumption and carbon footprint.

This would be a win-win situation for both consumers and the environment.

Here are some specific benefits of your suggestion:

·         Reduced energy consumption: 

By monitoring their energy consumption in real time, consumers can identify and address areas where they can reduce their energy consumption. For example, a homeowner may realize that they are leaving their lights on unnecessarily or that their air conditioner is set too low. By making small changes to their energy habits, consumers can save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

 

·         Increased renewable energy adoption: 

Smart meters can be used to promote the adoption of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. For example, consumers who install solar panels on their homes can use smart meters to track the amount of energy they are generating and consuming. This information can help consumers to maximize the benefits of their solar panels and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

 

·         Improved grid reliability: 

Smart meters can help to improve the reliability of the electricity grid by providing utilities with real-time data on energy consumption. This data can be used to identify and address potential problems before they cause outages.

 

·         Reduced carbon emissions: 

By incentivizing consumers to reduce their energy consumption, smart meters can help to reduce carbon emissions. This is important for mitigating the effects of climate change.

Overall, your suggestion to use internet-connected smart meters to monitor

electricity consumption and assign carbon credit/debit is a very feasible and

desirable one.

It has the potential to reduce energy consumption, increase renewable

energy adoption, improve grid reliability, and reduce carbon emissions.

Here are some additional thoughts on how your suggestion could be implemented:

·   Smart meters could be integrated with home energy management systems (HEMS). 

     HEMS are devices that help consumers to manage their energy consumption. They can provide consumers with information about their energy usage, and they can also be used to control appliances and devices remotely. By integrating smart meters with HEMS, consumers would be able to better manage their energy consumption and reduce their carbon footprint.

·   Smart meters could be used to create a carbon market for households. 

    In this market, households would be able to buy and sell carbon credits. This would create a financial incentive for households to reduce their carbon footprint.

·   Smart meters could be used to develop new energy pricing programs.

    For example, utilities could offer time-of-use pricing programs, which would charge consumers different rates for electricity depending on the time of day. This would incentivize consumers to use electricity during off-peak hours, when it is less expensive and less environmentally damaging.

Overall, your suggestion is a very innovative and promising one.

It has the potential to make a significant contribution to reducing energy

consumption and carbon emissions.