Being able to track who produced an image that's doing the rounds spreading "propaganda" seems like it adds a lot of value (from an authoritarian point of view, at least).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code
That's why your color printer cannot print in B&W when you're out of color ink (or at least one reason).
Inkjet printers are far more likely to not let you print without color ink, because they need to add the color inks to produce a darker black. Laser printers are far more likely to let you print without color toner (and as such, I've never worked with a laser printer that requires non-empty color toner cartridges), because they don't need to add additional colors for black.
I would pay to read a newspaper that (somewhat satirically) reported on the US the way we report on our adversaries. Complete with referring to police as "security forces", including wild speculations about the backstabbing behind-the-scenes of their top politics, etc.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/29/how-weste...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/...
"'Culturally, Americans are a curious lot,' said Andrew Darcy Morthington, an United Kingdom-based commentator who once embarked on a two-year mission trip to teach rural American children and therefore qualifies as an expert on U.S. affairs."
I do it at times.
There surely is wild propaganda mixed in, but also some very clear analysis of a certain cituation. More so, if for example russia is reporting on US-China crisis. Or vice versa.
1) There's plenty of criticism of the West from within its many nations borders
2) There's far more from outside its borders
3) Criticism of crushingly oppressive dictatorships is strictly forbidden from within
The western press goes in to far more detail about how oppressive, brutal and unaccountable American police are than any other country. There is pretty much an unending stream of criticism of the police.
> including wild speculations about the backstabbing behind-the-scenes of their top politics, etc.
If you have never seen such speculation about American politicians, I assume you have never looked at a newspaper.
Is absolutely nothing compared to the mountains of analysis of how racist and brutal the US police are, likening them to slave patrols, citing statistics about how often unarmed black people are killed, criticizing the Supreme Court for qualified immunity, explaining the overpolicing of trivial crimes in poor neighborhood and underpolicing of serious crimes that harm this same neighborhoods, the school to prison pipeline etc. etc.
You’d be forgiven for thinking we live in an open society with a free press where people are unafraid to criticize the government and police.
And the police here are racist, brutal, and mostly above legal consequences. The media here generally stops short of examining the power structures that makes that the case. It's more oh dearism than actionable information.
And have you seen China's media? The allow and even encourage complaints about local government, including in mass media. What you've stated about "an open society with a free press" not some high bar of freedom, but generally used as a pressure release valve for malcontent that does nothing to address why it's like that in the first place. They, like the US, love a good story that let's them "fight corruption" in a way that doesn't change why the corruption was allowed to fester in the first place.
But not the communist party or it’s officials, eh?
You can’t seriously be claiming that China is a more open society which allows greater media analysis of it’s power structures.
I'm simply pointing out that the ability for media to complain about the local actions of security forces, .gov policy decisions, and the occasional high ranking official who serves as a focal point for malcontent does not make for a free and open society, using an example that we can both agree is neither free nor open.
Yes. I assert that this describes China, but not the US.
Are you claiming it also describes the US?
Which powerful individual or institutions do you think are protected from criticism?
If you really want this, just start reading foreign news.
It is not quite the same - newspapers put out in english by foreign adversaries are usually targeting foreign audiences, so they are not written in quite the same fashion as how American outlets describe regimes in other countries.
The closest I've found is SCMP English in Beijing, which (at least for print) is apparently different (and more slanted) than the English version found in the US.
Hell, "propaganda" is the archetypal example. All communications with the primary purpose of advocacy were referred to as propaganda until the propaganda industry came up with the term "Public Relations."
It's a bit like the Anglo-Saxon/Latin split in English, where the Anglo-Saxon word means the cheap, commonplace version of whatever the Norman word is. English for the last century or so has had a sort of "communist register" that you're required to use about things that are officially disapproved of.
The difference between this and Apple's data collection, for example, is that Apple cannot use this information to imprison or kill you. At least until they deploy automatic scanner for cp in your photos.
It's similar to e.g. identifying specific guns by the markings left by imperfections of the barrel, you'd also take sample shots which can then be matched to the specific gun.
It's the reason why ransom notes from old movies are made of letters cut out from different magazines and newspapers. No handwriting, and no typewriter.
Did you know that US Secret service has samples of ink from various ball point pens? (https://www.12news.com/article/news/nation-world/look-inside...)
However, looking at a document, you may be able to tell the make and model of the typewriter, due to different typefaces and known mechanical differences across the make/model. That, coupled with a location or list of suspects, would allow you to examine specific typewriters. You may be able to determine a letter was written from a -given- typewriter, as machining differences in the keys, and differences in wear and tear over time can lead to minute differences in how the ink adheres. If you also have a letter written by a specific suspect, the variation in typing (how hard they hit the keys, common typing mistakes, etc) can lead to greater certainty of the author.
Actually, yes. Typewriters, especially well-used ones develop their own quirks. The "e" is a little higher or lower. The "o" gets a little filled with ink. It's mechanical, so parts wear, things get a bit off, and with enough use, each typewriter develops its own fingerprint.
It's been a thing in mystery novels at least back to the 1920's.
What -you- are describing, is "Was this particular document written on this particular typewriter", which is possible by comparing it against a document you know to have been written by that typewriter, and which I detail in my answer which you didn't fully read ("That (...) would allow you to examine specific typewriters. You may be able to determine a letter was written from a -given- typewriter").
This is identical to ballistics; finding a fired bullet does not tell you the specific gun that fired it (but may tell you the model/make; certainly, it will tell you the type of ammunition it takes). But if you have a bullet of known provenance (i.e., one you fired from a suspect's gun), you can tell if the markings left on the bullets match.