RFP Staff
♦ While we assume our internet service provider would not read our emails, internet savvy techies know they can. If you don’t know that, your head is in the proverbial sand. In fact, an IT is more likely to ask why would they do so rather than ask if they can.
Of course, we have to ask, “Is Fibrant watching its email users?”
Would they have motivation to spy on city employees who are asked to promote the municipal ball and chain? Many city employees subscribed when they were “encouraged” to support Fibrant. They were given a 25% discount that Salisbury taxpayers paying for the municipal broadband did not receive.
Would Fibrant spy on subscribers? It can. So the question is only will they — or have they?
These questions came to light when RFP staffers discovered a FOIA obtained email exchange between councilman Brian Miller and Doug Paris. Miller, seemingly annoyed about notifications from a petition from Change.org asks Paris to see if such emails can be “quarantined” by City Hall. As we read through the email chain, we noticed that several events sprang from Paris’ interpretation of Miller’s request. It seems that not only could they block the emails in a spam folder (which is what most people would interpret “quarantine” to mean), but ITs could inspect page elements on Change.org. Fibrant honcho Mike Jury enters the email chain conversation and soon Myra Heard sends information regarding the sources of at least five emails. Maggie Blackwell, Mayor Pro Tem, notes they have not gathered all of the information. The email follows below.
For more answers about internet service providers and whether they can read your emails, visit a few of these links:
Can an ISP spy? http://ask-leo.com/can_my_isp_monitor_my_internet_usage.html
Is your ISP spying on you? http://www.pcworld.com/article/261752/is_your_isp_spying_on_you_.html
How can an ISP spy? http://superuser.com/questions/231991/how-much-information-can-my-isp-see
The Miller-Paris-Jury-Blackwell-Heard IT “Information Collection” chain:
From:Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov>
Sent: Monday, January 6, 2014 10:03 AM
To: Mike Jury
Cc: Myra Heard; Kelly Baker
Subject:Re: New petition to you: Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC
Thanks. Understood. Let me try another route.
Doug Paris
City Manager
City of Salisbury, NC
www.salisburync.gov/citymanager
On Jan 6, 2014, at 9:55 AM, “Mike Jury” <mjury@salisburync.gov> wrote:
Doug there are some questions about this this morning. We only can collect the petitions from this date forward. Any that came in before this date would be in the individual accounts. We can look at their individual email accounts to see what we can find.
Please let me know.
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 22, 2013, at 11:22 AM, “Doug Paris” <dpari@salisburync.gov> wrote:
Yes. Thank you.
Doug Paris
City Manager
City of Salisbury, NC
www.salisburync.gov/citymanager
From: Doug Paris< dpari@salisburync.gov>
Sent: Sunday, January 5, 2014 3:24 PM
To: Myra Heard
Subject: Fwd: Change.org petition – Inksane Tattoo
Doug Paris
City Manager
City of Salisbury, NC
www.salisburync.gov/citymanager
Begin forwarded message:
From: Maggie Blackwell <mblac@salisburync.gov>
Date: January 5, 2014, 11:19:03 AM EST
To: Kelly Baker <kking@salisburync.gov>
Cc: Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov>
Subject: Fwd: Change.org petition – Inksane Tattoo
Kelly,
I don’t know who in IT collected this information, but there are 57 signatures on the petition, and it surpassed 30 at Christmas. Can you please see about getting correct info out to Council on Monday? Thanks.
Maggie
Maggie Blackwell
Mayor Pro Tem
Salisbury, NC
Begin forwarded message:
From: Myra Heard <Mhear@salisburync.gov> Date: January 2, 2014 at 6:17:10 PM EST To: Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov>, Rivers Lawther <rlawt@salisburync.gov>, Brian Miller <Brian.Miller@BBandT.com>, Karen Alexander <kalex@salisburync.gov>, “karen@kkaarch.com” <karen@kkaarch.com>, Maggie Blackwell< mblac@salisburync.gov>, Paul Woodson <pwood@salisburync.gov>, William Kennedy <wkenn@salisburync.gov>, William Kennedy <wkenn@salisburync.gov> Subject: Change.org petition – Inksane Tattoo
Council,
I’ve been in touch with IT and they were able to capture the emails generated from a petition posted on www.change.org. The website is a worldwide platform for petitions and this particular petition requests the SUP for Inksane be revoked and asks Council not to issue an ABC Permit. No one who signed the petition was from Salisbury and below is the name/address of who signed:
| Petitioner | Address | ||
| Pam Call | Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Adrienne Camacci | Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Jeremy Freeman | Charlotte, North Carolina | ||
| Brandy Davis | Gastonia, North Carolina | ||
| Shedy Berrios | Jacksonville, North Carolina | ||
| Chris Sobieski | Bogota, New Jersey | ||
| Christine VanderWal | Oakland, New Jersey | ||
| Rhonda Green | Pickens, South Carolina | ||
| Thom Boyles | Page, Arizona | ||
| Jeremy Gibson | Jonesboro, Arkansas | ||
| Mathew Vassek | Bluff City, Tennessee | ||
| Ken M. Mascoutah | Illinois |
12 Signatures:
5 – North Carolina
2 – New Jersey
1 – South Carolina
1 – Arizona
1 – Arkansas
1 – Tennessee
1 – Illinois
Thank you,
Myra
From: Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov>
Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 11:22 AM
To: Mike Jury
Cc: Myra Heard
Subject: Re: New petition to you: Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC
Yes. Thank you.
Doug Paris
City Manager
City of Salisbury, NC
www.salisburync.gov/citymanager
On Dec 22, 2013, at 10:36 AM, “Mike Jury” <mjury@salisburync.gov> wrote:
Doug, we can set up a filter for these emails and have them put into a folder that you or Myra or whoever you choose can view? Would you like for me to move forward with that?
Mike
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 20, 2013, at 11:29 PM, “Doug Paris” <dpari@salisburync.gov> wrote:
Any options?
Doug Paris
City Manager
City of Salisbury, NC
www.salisburync.gov/citymanager
Begin forwarded message:
From: Brian Miller <bmil@salisburync.gov> Date: December 20, 2013, 11:12:26 PM EST To: Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov> Subject: Fwd: New petition to you: Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC
Doug,
Any chance someone at the city can quarantine these emails?
Thanks,
Brian Miller
BB&T Market Executive / SVP
Salisbury, NC
(704) 212-2151
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Alyssa Sobieski <mail@changemail.org> Date: December 20, 2013 at 10:09:50 PM EST To: <Brian.Miller@salisburync.gov> Subject: New petition to you: Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC
Dear Brian Miller,
Alyssa Sobieski started a petition “Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC” targeting you on Change.org that’s starting to pick up steam.
Change.org is the world’s largest petition platform that gives anyone, anywhere the tools they need to start, join and win campaigns for change. Change.org never starts petitions on our own — petitions on the website, like “Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC“, are started by users.
While “Revoke permit and prohibit the sale of alcohol at tattoo shop in Salisbury, NC” is active, you’ll receive an email each time a signer leaves a comment explaining why he or she is signing. You’ll also receive periodic updates about the petition’s status.
Here’s what you can do right now to resolve the petition:
- Review the petition. Here’s a link:
- See the 5 signers and their reasons for signing on the petition page.
- Respond to the petition creator by sending a message here:
Sincerely, Change.org
