Be Afraid: The Surveillance State Is Powered By…Bing?

Ever feel that the surveillance state can’t be beaten? Have no fear. The cure is here, in the form of this case study. Authored by our friends at the world’s most popular, innovative and dynamic tech company, it shows that well before the XBox Kinect “let’s deploy real-time surveillance technology in every American home” debacle, Microsoft was busily trying to get its hands on a thrilling avalanche of federal dollars, available only to companies shameless and lickspittle enough to develop an entire suite of software dedicated to handling data collected without a warrant on millions of Americans.

Behold! [Fanfare.] The Microsoft Fusion Framework!

mr_clippy

Oops, sorry. Right company, wrong product.

Behold! [Fanfare.] The Microsoft Fusion Framework!

Of course you can get a public screenshot! Why not?

Nice to see that Microsoft’s spell-check function is as robust as ever, fellas. Have fun searching for a suspect with a “dragon tattoo” using that system.

Fusion Framework and Fusion Core Solution have been built to support fusion centers where data is taken from disparate sources from federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and from the private sector, and fused into one complete picture to enhance awareness, planning, prevention, and response to an incident.

With Fusion Framework and Fusion Core Solution, agencies can seamlessly move information from intake to analysis to dissemination in a multiple-agency, multilevel environment, while utilizing existing assets and integrating with domain-specific applications. This gives agencies the ability to take proactive action to prepare for and respond to crises and to counter potential threats and criminal activities.

Oooh! Oooh! Is the search function powered by Bing? Actually, that started off as another piece of my usual garden-variety sarcasm, but looking at the top right hand corner of the screenshot, it appears that its search function actually is powered by Bing. Uh, hands-down best search engine on the market! Wouldn’t want you to use anything else. Just keep on doing what you’re doing.

I’m so glad too that the personal data of millions of Americans is being safeguarded in a Fusion Framework developed by a company with such a reputation for bug-free, stable computer security. Nobody will ever hack a Microsoft Fusion Framework, no sir! They brought in the big guns!

And who are the suckers dedicated public servants who ordered this awesome product?

The Microsoft Fusion Framework helps fusion centers like the Massachusetts CFC get the right information to the right people at the right place and the right time.

Lord have mercy.

I guess the question is, should I be happy or sad?

For more on fusion centers, click here.

UPDATE: I wonder whether this means that Microsoft, via Bing, has records of the searches performed by fusion center employees? Good thing that doesn’t raise any security issues!

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