Topic: Snitching

Media commentary regarding the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade compared the situation in Texas to "The Handmaid's Tale." Critics expressed fear that neighbors would "snitch" on each other for seeking reproductive healthcare.

The rise of "social snitching" is discussed, where citizens report neighbors for violating stay-at-home orders. In St. Louis, a Sunshine Law request revealed the identities of those using the NARC lines, while Governor Cuomo's reporting line was reportedly flooded with inappropriate memes.

Mayor Bill de Blasio encourages New Yorkers to take photos of social distancing violators and report them to the city via a dedicated phone line. The hosts compare this "fink" culture to extreme enforcement measures in Nigeria, where security forces reportedly killed 18 people while enforcing lockdowns. They criticize the push for citizens to act as informants against their neighbors.

A report from a "Pacific Northwest antiviral party" highlights the community of listeners gathering despite lockdown orders. Another listener from Charlotte, North Carolina, reports that the local police received 300 calls from citizens reporting their neighbors for stay-at-home violations. The hosts contrast the "snitch" culture in some cities with the resilience of the No Agenda "tribe."

Sir Dave reports on a new Ministry of Interior app in Saudi Arabia that allows citizens to report traffic violations for a share of the fine. He shares an anecdote about being fined for dark window tints and jokes about using the app to fund future donations. He also needles Adam Curry about John Tesh.

A new PSA from Sandy Hook Promise promotes an anonymous app for students to report potential school shooters. The hosts criticize the initiative as encouraging a "Stasi-like" culture of snitching among youth. They compare the trend to historical warnings about communist regimes turning neighbors against one another.

DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and media figures are encouraging citizens to report "strange" behavior by relatives or children on the internet. This expansion of the "See Something, Say Something" campaign is compared to the NSB collaborators in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. The rhetoric is characterized as a dangerous push for domestic surveillance within families and religious communities.

The state of Michigan launched "OK2SAY," a confidential reporting system designed to prevent school violence by encouraging students to submit tips about suspicious behavior. The program, promoted by MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo, attempts to rebrand "snitching" as a life-saving community service. However, early implementation has led to incidents where students were reported for discussing the program itself out of context.

The Department of Homeland Security and the DOJ are working with international partners to enhance "counter-radicalization" and border security. These programs encourage local communities and religious leaders to identify and report "suspicious behaviors," which the hosts liken to historical state spying programs.

A discussion on computer performance leads to a critique of background processes like iTunes and Chrome that consume bandwidth and system resources. The hosts recommend "Little Snitch" software for monitoring unauthorized outbound connections from personal computers.