10 Cyber Conspiracies That Are Actually Happening25

By Chris Simmons, Nov 15, 2010 in Pop Culture, Tyranny

10 Cyber Conspiracies That Are Actually Happening

Ever since that evil computer from War Games nearly caused a global incident of destructive proportions, and The Terminator returned to destroy us all, the cyber world has been filled with conspiracy theories about how technology is slowly ruling our lives. The idea that we had the power to create sentient computers that could do our thinking for us was both exhilarating and terrifying. We’ve come a long way since the early 80’s forecasting of what the “supercomputer” would evolve into. Now that the future is here, that supercomputer has become the Internet – a vast connection of personal computers and servers, all joined together, seemingly as benign as a game of online Mahjong, and much more sinister at its core.

Considering how integral the Internet has become in our lives, it’s difficult to imagine a world without it. And while many of us choose to ignore the cookies, the personalized Facebook ads, and password vaults (largely because we prefer to focus on sharing snapshots of our vacations and watching cats play the piano), others, like Terminator’s Sarah Connor or Tyranny’s Daniel McCarthy, believe there is something much larger at play – something that deserves to be exposed and stopped. You think I’m paranoid? Here are 10 everyday examples of cyber conspiracies that are already coming true.

Tyranny – Man From Atlantis

1. GOOGLE… AS “BIG BROTHER”

This is by far the most persistent cyber conspiracy theory. The constant “innovations” Google introduces have made them the industry leader in their field. But the thing that scares me the most is Google Earth. Some theorists insist Google Earth is a tracking system, developed by the government, used to test nuclear warhead deployment by locking onto your location EVERY TIME you use it. YOU try Google Earth and tell me you’re not seconds away from getting your house blown to bits.

BTW, earlier this year Google launched Google Apps for Government, a cloud computing application receiving accreditation from the U.S. government, giving government agencies and departments a clear path to adopt the Google suite. Now, if we can just lock on…

2. PAPERLESS BILL PAYMENTS… AS GOV’T HOME CONTROL

Paying your bills online is convenient. But, as cyber conspiracy theorists (CCT’s) would (and do) tell you, it is just the government slowly taking control of your finances. The promise of expediency is just a mere mask. Once you’re sucked in, they use their online interface to control your home’s utilities. That’s right – they can cut your power off with a mere keystroke. Can you imagine a world where, when you are suspected of an illegal activity, the government remotely ceases all functions of your home? How about just a “mandatory precaution” during moments of national security? Think about that the next time you ponder “going green.”

3. ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE… AS CORPORATE COMPUTER CONTROL

We all use them, or at least we should. But what we SHOULD be doing, according to CCTs, is considering the fact that Anti-virus software programs actually embed nano-robotic slow-acting viruses on our storage devices, specifically designed to corrupt our hard drives just before we’re due to renew our subscription to the anti-virus software. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed your system being susceptible to that strong Trojan strain regardless of the software installed on your hard drive. This is happening now!

4. SKYPE… A 24/7 COMMUNICATIONS MONITOR

Talk about nano-bot technology run amok. Once you “choose” to install Skype on your computer, you’ve introduced a sentient entity that simply refuses to go away. The CCTs theorize that Skype is the government’s way to eavesdrop on every interaction you have. Even when your computer is in shutdown mode, Skype’s working overtime, spying on you. A complete listing of your phone calls, video imagery, and searches, all catalogued for you. Ever had a conversation you were glad wasn’t being taped? Doesn’t exist anymore.

5. WI-FI IN PUBLIC PLACES… FOR TRACKING WHERE YOU ARE

Taking your laptop to a Starbucks is the height of cyber convenience, isn’t it? Try telling that to a CCT. They’ll tell you that using Wi-Fi in a public place is a (yep) government-fueled plot to develop mind control experiments. Just think of all the information being collected by a group of people in the same area, consuming the same food. Every wonder where that urge to buy that second cup of coffee came from? Thirst? Nah.

There’s even more evidence of this in schools with Wi-Fi, where the signal strength has been measured at twice the power of that found in coffee houses. The next time your kid comes home from school acting strangely, blame it on the Wi-Fi!

Tyranny – Trailer

6. THE SOCIAL NETWORK… EQUALS CIA

The truth, as a famous fictional conspiracy theorist often said, is out there. Consider the social network, Facebook. James Brayer, one of its early venture capitalist champions has known ties to the CIA. Dr. Anita Jones, another Facebook backer worked for the Department Of Defense as a top researcher and advisor. What better way to recruit future intelligence operatives than through the social network that connects us all? Think about that when you check on someone’s “status.”

Click Here to Watch The Social Network Trailer

7. TWITTER… IS PASSING SECRET CODES

Tweets are more than just annoyingly persistent narcissistic musings – if you tend to believe CCTs. Just this year, the Library of Congress announced that it will archive all tweets, forever. Considering most tweets are spam, or unimportant announcements like “#wecantbefriends if you hate on Kenielle & Jashley,” why on earth would they want to clog up their servers with mindless information? Because they are, in fact, monitoring the exchange of secret codes between government double agents in foreign countries. What the heck do you think those weird “tiny urls” are really for anyway?

8. YOUTUBE… “OUTS” CCT’S

If you search YouTube, you’ll definitely find tons of videos of cyber conspiracy theorists warning, whoever will listen to them, about any and all manner of government freedom-killing plots. But there is a theory about YouTube actually enticing the CCTs to spout their views on the site, the better to identify and catalogue them, and ultimately, to snuff them out the closer they get to… the truth. Careful what you spout on those late night drunken video diaries. [But remember, Google owns YouTube, so this, too, could be a conspiracy.]

Click Here to Watch 2012: The End of the World

9. PRICE-CONTROLLING… “COOKIES” ON AMAZON

Talk about interactivity! By now, we’re so de-sensitized by the presence of “cookies” left on our hard drives that it really doesn’t bother us that much anymore. But CCTs believe we have new reason to be concerned: there are special price-controlling cookies on Amazon’s site that instantly change prices of items we intend to buy, activating even before we place items in our Cart.

10. GOVERNMENT SUPERCOMPUTER

And we’re back full circle from the “speculative” fictional supercomputer of War Games. There are those who believe that there’s a computer entity out there that makes Google seem like a kid’s V-Tech toy. Did you know that the same chip that powers the PlayStation also powers the most powerful supercomputer in the world? And just to really blow your minds… maybe I am the super-computer…

Tyranny – Aversion

Tyranny – Out Of Ideas

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Chris Simmons is a scriptwriter, blogger and professional Story Analyst for motion pictures. He’s written dozens of animated scripts for TV including co-developing the award-winning series STATIC SHOCK! for Warner Bros. Animation. He’s currently in the early stages of development on a situation comedy for BET. He also watches TV, a lot. Chris is married with two children and lives in Los Angeles, CA.