EULAs, cars.gov, and the capability to monitor/control your system

#1 DnDer

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Posted 01 August 2009 - 11:26 PM

Not that I believe a single word that ever comes out of Glenn Beck's mouth... But EULAs are intentionally vague and misleading. And even when they're straightforward, the legalese is sometimes so impenetrable as to be written in a foreign language. There's been a number of circuit court cases concerning EULAs and software distribution rights floating around lately to attest to this fact.

Now, I know just enough about networks and security to be afraid of everything I click on the internet. :thumbsup:

And I know just enough about the federal government to be downright terrified of ANYTHING they have to do with the internet.

That being said, what does the passage quoted mean, and what kind of capability does the government have to follow through on these statements? Has anyone heard anything from a credible, reliable source about this situation?

Glenn Beck goes on cars.gov, "reveals" ability to control your computer

#2 garmanma

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Posted 02 August 2009 - 10:30 AM

Just what I like to see, un-biased reporting from Fox TV

They always say people never read the EULA. This one should catch their eye

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#3 boopme

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Posted 02 August 2009 - 08:56 PM

I think you meant this quote..

Quote

This application provides access to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a Federal computer system and is the property of the US Government. Any or all uses of this system and all files may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, DoT, and law enforcement personal, as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.

the full EULA http://www.infowars.com/images/carsgov-capture.jpg

Now I wouldn't click on it as I think it is too much control and I know they'd never leave. They (the new elected socialists) would never let you go,they would monitor forever (until Format).
But that said You or I do not need to go there. It is really the Dealers computer that should go there. I don't understand it anyway they gov't already took over the US auto industry,so they (WE,it's our $$ they are losing there) really own the PC any way LOL..

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#4 Helio

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Posted 08 August 2009 - 04:30 PM

Any updates on this? Has the gov responded?

Resistance is futile.

#5 Andrew

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Posted 10 August 2009 - 01:36 AM

This only applies to dealers, not to consumers, and the wording has since been changed after this hit the internet.

According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation:

Quote

Clicking "continue" on a poorly worded Terms of Service on a government site will not give the government the ability to "tap into your system ... any time they want." The seizure of the personal and private information stored on your computer through a one-sided click-through terms of service is not "conscionable" as lawyers say, and would not be enforceable even if the cars.gov website was capable of doing it, which we seriously doubt. Moreover, the law has long forbidden the government from requiring you to give up unrelated constitutional rights as a condition of receiving discretionary government benefits like participation in the Cars for Clunkers program.

(Emphasis mine)

Thank you Snopes.com!

Furthermore, examination of the underlying source code of the website shows that the most advanced bit of coding therein is the use of the jQuery javascript library... nothing there that could take control of a computer or bypass browser security, or access anything on your hard drive.

It's nice to see the guv'ment using open-source libraries! :thumbsup:

Open Source FTW baby!!

This post has been edited by Amazing Andrew: 10 August 2009 - 01:50 AM

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