Government Security News had an item Sunday about a curious solicitation from the Federal Protective Service — a surveillance system for government buildings that can also spy on the user:
A recent solicitation issued by the Federal Protective Service unit of DHS for what it calls a “Video Surveillance Rapid Deployment Kit” contained an intriguing requirement among its roster of technical specifications: “Hidden internal camera and microphone that will allow a remote user to see and hear the operator of the system.”
That sounds as if a boss back at FPS headquarters wants to be able to watch and listen to the person actually carrying the video camera, without that camera person even knowing that he or she is being watched.
Strange.
More on GSN’s site, including the maddeningly vague response they got from FPS when they tried to ask just what the heck this thing is for, and who’s going to be observing the operators of the camera.