Some places are very innovative in the pursuit of death and tyranny. If it isn't cameras watching our every move, and a permit check for every activity, it is finding ways to recruit the lowest common denominator of "society" as eyes and ears for the state.
Just in case you want to be able to hand people over to the government, call it "violence-by-proxy", but you are too cowardly to risk the real-world consequences of doing so openly, the LEOs are anxious to accommodate you. You can now anonymously (so they say) text a tip to the local enforcers.
The dramatic cases used to give the above-linked story "human interest" will not be the reality of the system. No one wants actual thugs to get away with their aggression (unless you are a badge-licker and those thugs are the enforcers you worship). The fact is that the vast majority of "crimes" are non-coercive, individual behavior or consensual acts between private individuals rather than acts of aggression or fraud. So, which type of "crimes" will make up the majority of these texted tips?
What do you think the chances are of remaining anonymous for long if you used the "tool" to report aggression by the state's own hired thugs, or reported an IRS employee for theft?
Comments
Hmmmmmmm......
I see some potential here.....
Not that I would ever do, or advocate the doing of the following, but:
Imagine if you used this "service" every time you witnessed or experienced a violation of ZAP or fraud?
Next time you see someone pulled over by the cops, text a tip.
They are most likely being violated.
Know of a scheduled meeting of a group of politicians conspiring to legislate your life,
text a tip. They are most likely up to no good.
Someone needs to be watched, but it is most definitely not us.
Further along julioshinobi's point: For enterprising freelance criminals (as opposed to the state-sanctioned variety), this concept would also seem to be rife with opportunities to disrupt your rivals (or even your targets) with official harassment.
It's just more of the same, of course. We already have the concept of "swatting", which is to call in a tip that will get a SWAT team sent out to employ shock and awe. The prank, unsurprisingly, has already proven to be occasionally lethal for the victims, but don't worry, neither the trigger-men nor those who give their orders will be held accountable for bringing lethal aggression on a call-in tip. If that happens, the state will simply go after the peasant who--ahem--abused the system.
Why am I having a Fahrenheit 451 moment all over again?
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