What Mary Had
— Richard Stallman, 2017-04-27

Mary had a little lamp
On a motion-sensing switch.
And this, at night, when Mary moved,
Highlighted every twitch.

Mary had a little phoney That tracked her everywhere,
And every word that Mary spoke
The state was sure to hear.

Mary had a little car
With cellular modem built,
And everywhere that car did go
Her personal data spilt.

Mary had a TV set
That watched her watching it.
A jackass cracked its back door key
To photograph her tit.

“They’ve gone too far,” cried Mary’s rage,
“When a TV set is lewd.”
That’s how she learned: with non-free code,
There’s mischief being brewed.

Need I describe her watch, her stove, Her fridge her, thermostats?
They’re all alike, “smart” booby traps,
Laid out by plutocrats.

Mary trashed those networked “things”
Her software now is free.
She fights for freedom night and day
So free we all can be.
Note

How surveillance threatens democracy.