So, What Is The Future Of ATS?

After reading these good posts from some of the moderators, it really has me thinking….
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Thread



What does this mean for the future of ATS?

Has the government already been knocking on the door?
What will the site owners do, if they do?
Will ATS be shut down?

Will any forum be safe?
Is this also a new way for the government to control the news? Look at how fast news is posted here, sometimes with more information than you can see on the MSM.
Are these the backdoor ways for them to control the internet?

I’m nowhere near as computer savvy as most of the members here, so I am very curious if there is any way to stop this? Will there be something new created, used by the really smart computer guys?

I know, I’m just asking a bunch of questions, that I myself have no answers to. But I do like being a member here and learning about things I would not otherwise know about. I would be very saddened if there where no more ATS.


Yes, I’m female, and a mom. That equals worrywart!
But with all of this news coming out, don’t you wonder?

reply to post by chiefsmom


There is a thread by the site owner, SkepticOverlord that addresses the "knock on the door" question. Unfortunately it is in the RATS forum and cannot be linked elsewhere. Those who have enough posts to access RATS, it's worth reading.

As for the future? I can only speak for me. But I'll be here, doing exactly what I do now, until ATS goes away or the NSA pries my keyboard from my cold, dead hands.

reply to post by Hefficide


Thanks for that information. I'll have to try to find it, if I meet the requirements. Sounds like a good read.
And good to know you won't be going anywhere, I'll get to keep drooling over Daryl!

reply to post by chiefsmom

Is this also a new way for the government to control the news? Look at how fast news is posted here, sometimes with more information than you can see on the MSM. Are these the backdoor ways for them to control the internet?

Well to be fair, 99% of the stories posted here are sourced from mainstream articles. This isn't really about the content, it's the ability to communicate. Worst case scenario of ATS would be them having to give unfettered access to the government. Then it's up to them, continue the charade, or close the doors. I'd like to think they'd close the doors, I'd miss it, but they wouldn't be able to tell us the truth.

The backdoor control they have over the internet has little to do with sites and more to do with the actual network that makes it work. They have control over that network, they have control over the undersea links that make it global.

Just think of it this way. They want TIA. Total information awareness. They want it all, any means of communication must be monitored. That's the goal. What we're seeing now is the full implementation of this.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters

Worst case scenario of ATS would be them having to give unfettered access to the government.

According to Snowden, and PRISM...they already have that...via the online providers. So, consider that when you're posting. Now, the good news is, that's a MASSIVE amount of metadata to sort though, so unless your communications are flagged for some reason, nobody will actually read your stuff...but it is stored, archived, and available for retrieval by the government, if you believe Snowden (and you should). Goes for e-mails and texts too...by the way, even voice phone calls.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Thanks for the info. I guess I just try to see the big picture, and how little things tie together, and then it scares me.

Also, did you notice Heff mentioned the other part of ATS, that I couldn't remember in the other thread?

So, if any of you are computer savvy, do you think someone will come up with something else, internet like? Is it even possible?

reply to post by chiefsmom


The Internet will adapt, one way or the other. It may not require a replacement. Innovation in the free and open source community is always ahead of the ability of governments to control.

reply to post by Gazrok


No, they have SOME of it. Those who don't immediately sign on tend to close shop, and you'll see more and more services close their doors because of this, some companies would rather close than take part.

What they DO have is all of the internet traffic, all of it. That's why they are going after encryption, it's the last piece of the puzzle. the name of the game is to make anyone who uses secure communications into a terrorist, so you can use PRISM and the Patriot act against them, which is exactly what we're seeing right now.

reply to post by chiefsmom

What does this mean for the future of ATS? Has the government already been knocking on the door? What will the site owners do, if they do? Will ATS be shut down?

Both the links you posted have no relation to sites like ATS, their visitors, or websites in general, so why do you ask?

I mean it's an open forum, everyone can read the posts and the NSA can already track users on the internet, so what is your question wih regards to ATS?

reply to post by chiefsmom


I think it's "really above top secret" but you've got to get a ton of posts in before you can even see it. Though I'm told not too much stays there, it ends up being discussed elsewhere too.

The internet, as an idea, will adapt. But as long as "they" own the network, we're kinda playing with half a deck. there are various means already in place, but all of them except that MESHnet that won't really work, require the same telephone network that the internet uses.

there is already a darknet out there, and has been for a long long time. It's still part of the internet, but normal DNS servers won't get you there, you have to know how to access it. This is only a means to evade DNS restrictions.

DNS is the system that converts ip addresses to logical host addresses. 192.168.0.1 is an ip address, but you don't typically type in IP addresses to connect to a website, you use www.google.com or whatnot. With simple DNS restrictions, you can make websites basically disappear. They are there, but DNS servers won't redirect you, without the direct IP you can't access them.

That's how darknet works. Meshnet claims to be part of that, but in reality, it's an entirely seperate network requiring wireless transmitters. It has nothing to do with the internet, but without installing millions of towers, will only really work for small local nets.

reply to post by PleiadanString


Maybe you should have read the first link. Considering it directly relates to chatrooms and web forums, I think it's pretty apparent how that applies to ATS.

ATS allows you to send U2U messages, and also has a really above top secret area that is not google indexed, and not accessible by standard users.

This, by definition, fits into the thread Heff posted, how they are trying to say that terrorists are using chatrooms and webforums to plan attacks and recruit. since the boogeyman is using them, the government has to restrict encrypted services or have direct access to them, and any and all forms of communication must be monitored.

anyone using any means to evade monitoring is now a suspected terrorist.

get it now?

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Thanks for the explanation. I think I understand it.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


From that thread,

In secretive chat rooms and on encrypted Internet message boards,

Again this is an open forum. They can read along, there is no information about users that the NSA woud need to contact ATS owners about thatt they couldn't get otherwise.

And even if suspected terrorists would gather here, they would not close ATS down, why would they close an info gathering platform, if that was the case.

ATS allows you to send U2U messages, and also has a really above top secret area that is not google indexed, and not accessible by standard users.

Nothing to do with encryption software. And any puppet account with enough posts could enter rats.

This, by definition, fits into the thread Heff posted, how they are trying to say that terrorists are using chatrooms and webforums to plan attacks and recruit. since the boogeyman is using them, the government has to restrict encrypted services or have direct access to them, and any and all forms of communication must be monitored.

We have been told for a decade that terrorists use the internet. Nothing new. We already knew that the internet was being monitored, nothing new.

There is nothing to suggest that ATS would need to be shut down, or that they would need to share info with the NSA, and especially not in those links.

What I get is that people with no oversight are panicking over non related isues because of manipulative threads.

It has absolutely nothing to do with ATS.

anyone using any means to evade monitoring is now a suspected terrorist.

How can you evade monitoring if you post in an open forum?

chiefsmom
But with all of this news coming out, don’t you wonder?

I tend to think that the more we shed light, in plain sight, on the recently revealed long-standing atrocities of domestic spying by the U.S. government, the less we have to fear.

The more we have the courage to stand in their face, on the Internet knowing full-well "they" may be able to know who we are, the less we have to fear.

And the more we are able to encourage others to follow our example, they more work we may for "them" and the more probable the surveillance technologies will become ineffective.


I personally have never been concerned. Why? I don't feel that those whose task it is to find potential threats have the competence to complete grade-school maze game, much less decipher critical intelligence.

Consider me. A public owner of the largest conspiracy theory focused community on the Internet; a site will millions of pages, many of which devoted to topics that could be interpreted as favoring an overthrow of the government. Yet on three occasions, I was allowed to enter U.S. Senate offices (after vetting) for the purposes of lobbying for free expression, support of independent online media, and online privacy.


No. Fear should be our last consideration. Instead, we should be ignited into a greater and more active role in the investigations and exposure.

Game on.

What does [all] this mean for the future of ATS?

Has the government already been knocking on the door?
What will the site owners do, if they do?
Will ATS be shut down?

Will any forum be safe?

Short of psychic ability or the realm of prophesy, the answer would have to be based on interpretation of what we know and then what comes out of the old opinion grinder...

From here, it looks like there will be an eventual, unavoidable surrendering of all on-line privacy. Every concept of it, top to bottom. From there, this will extend to most every other facet of daily existence... as if this wasn't already almost true.

ATS doesn't rely on anything except a constant inflow of members. This is what it makes it a viable business for them... and for now, it looks to be impervious to this kind of environment. In fact, as the above mentioned situation grows, it almost assures a steady influx of new members... all looking for a place to vent and speculate in a digital space that is slowly turning away from allowing public comments directly on the stories that drive them.

Now... as for those who fear ATS (and others) becoming a watering hole for the watchers? It seems highly unlikely that this site has been overlooked. Here you have some of the nation's most avid and knowledgeable conspiracy buffs displaying their wares in the open. If you were the NSA or FBI or CIA or DIA... how could you NOT watch what goes on here, lol?

The way I see it... at least we can be sure that what we say here, is being heard in those places we would like it to land

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

I personally have never been concerned. Why?I don't feel that those whose task it is to find potential threats have the competence to complete grade-school maze game, much less decipher critical intelligence.

Weird reply. I don't believe you believe that. You are really saying that these government agencies are completely clueless?

Also, if they weren't incompetent, you would be worried personally? As in they would actually have something against ATS or you?

I don't get it.

PleiadanString
I don't believe you believe that.

I do.

My analogy may have been exaggerated (you think?), but the sentiment is accurate.

If "they" were competent, why did two brothers for whom the U.S. government receive alerts from foreign governments get away with planning and bombing the Boston marathon?

Also, if they weren't incompetent, you would be worried personally?

Moot point, as I don't believe a government in the habit of outsourcing "hard" work to lowest-bid vendors can achieve competence.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

chiefsmom
But with all of this news coming out, don’t you wonder?

The more we have the courage to stand in their face, on the Internet knowing full-well "they" may be able to know who we are, the less we have to fear.


No. Fear should be our last consideration. Instead, we should be ignited into a greater and more active role in the investigations and exposure.

I agree. I have a first amendment right and I will use it!! We should not have to fear freedom of expression! I am grateful for the people who have the ability and feel obligated to come out and expose the atrocities and the destruction of the things that we so cherish!

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

If "they" were competent, why did two brothers for whom the U.S. government receive alerts from foreign governments get away with planning and bombing the Boston marathon?

Ok let's open that can of worms.

Good point. I know your stance on the Boston bombing. I don't call that incompetence. I call that LIHOP, if not MIHOP.

Incompetence my behind.

Moot point, as I don't believe a government in the habit of outsourcing "hard" work to lowest-bid vendors can achieve competence.

But you are still suggesting that if they were competent, that there would be a problem. How is that?

I don't get your whole reply to the OP.

OP is worried about agencies shutting down ATS and approaching you for information, to which you respond not to worry because they are incompetent.

The logical answer from your position would be that they have no reason to shut ATS down and that they can get to the info they could possibly want, without you.

Instead you say "don't worry because they are idiots".

I find this very strange.