Holy crap!  Is this real?  Apparently, the US government’s Digital TV Transition is a mass conspiracy to actually spy on unsuspecting citizens.  How so?  You know those DTV boxes the government has been so willing to pay for via a coupon subsidized program?  Well, inside of them is a small camera and microphone, at least according to the video found below.  Since I don’t have one on hand it’s difficult to verify the statements made, but what exactly are those two little devices placed at the forefront of this Magnavox box?

If it is a camera and mic, it might be fair to say this technology could be used for census data.  Regardless of its use, though, it totally violates our civil rights.  The next step is to get a bunch of these boxes and VERIFY the components inside of the boxes.  Furthermore, if such suspicions are confirmed, the companies that engaged in these lurid practices should be boycotted, right?.  It’s pretty clear that they’re on the ‘take’ since they wanted the lucrative manufacturing contracts and in exchange have no doubt kept, or will be keeping their mouths shut.  Next we’ll find out that those DTV coupons are part of a bigger scam to shovel money around and buy DTV box manufacturer’s silence.

Update: It’s fake according to a Wired article.  The guy who made the video glued an old camera phone into the box and thought it would make for a good prank.   Thanks to everyone who replied to my IMs of amazement.  I still wouldn’t be surprised if something like this happened.

[Shine via Thanks Erik]