[draft] problems to prepare for when targeted

Karl gmkarl at gmail.com
Sat Sep 4 20:04:37 PDT 2021


One of the things that really prevented dialog and addressing of targeting
when it began for me, was the concept of "but why would this ever happen to
some random individual?"

Assuming one isn't targeted then leads to years of pursuing various things
that don't necessarily help.

[Targeting involves being personally studied for disruption activities such
as planting of spy devices and system trojans, contacting people and
services in one's life to reduce the power of one's community.]. This
involves investment of resources by bodies with limited resources, so
people can be skeptical it would ever happen.

One thing not often discussed is that targetting can involve being framed
as a suspect for high-stakes crimes such as drug dealing or terrorism.
Simply calling authorities can open an investigation and allocate extensive
resources.  There are also organizations that work to disrupt people or
groups of various pursuasions, that individuals may be listed with.  Books
have been published by workers and volunteers at such organizations or
groups.

This stuff usually happens when somebody notices you for some reason.  It
may be easy if you have a well-known family name, or are a political
figure, but other roles aren't ones everyone expects:
- providing resources for activists or people otherwise without them
- making a stink that could harm somebody's reputation
- organizing discussions counter to mainstream messaging, especially in an
area where they are not already present

Simple being the person footing the bill, or owning the resources, or who
has the crucial skillset, or is willing to go the distance, when nobody
else isn't, can suddenly change one's life forever when noticed.

Change it in ways that nobody would believe, because the resources involved
are reserved for hunting the most dangerous criminals and fighting the most
vicious mercenaries.  Things that suddenly people are considering you,
because their bosses or computer systems are saying you are likely to be.
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