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Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

theguardian.com

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Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#2
I wish we could have a honest discussions about the pro and cons of the panopticon the internet has become. Not just the usual "Might makes right" glue moral flaws to the person putting questions to power oppossed by fierce "liberty at all cost aka anarchism".

It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it, but then again, i find the three letter agencies to be entrusted with surveilance of the masses, to be the most useless and untrustworthy stewart of the public imagineable.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#3

I wish we could have a honest discussions about the pro and cons of the panopticon the internet has become. Not just the usual "Might makes right" glue moral flaws to the person putting questions to power oppossed by fierce "liberty at all cost aka anarchism". It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it, but then again, i find the three letter agencies t…

It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it

Hard disagree. Modern technology is mishandled most intensely by large organizations. When it's misused by individuals it's usually based on information freely given. An individual might send your employer an insensitive tweet you made ten years ago but an organization can do anything from unmasking an anonymous product review for the purpose of suing you to operating a massive surveillance state to fuel a "social credit" system.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#4
post #3

I wish we could have a honest discussions about the pro and cons of the panopticon the internet has become. Not just the usual "Might makes right" glue moral flaws to the person putting questions to power oppossed by fierce "liberty at all cost aka anarchism". It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it, but then again, i find the three letter agencies t…

It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it Hard disagree. Modern technology is mishandled most intensely by large organizations. When it's misused by individuals it's usually based on information freely given. An individual might send your employer an insensitive tweet you made ten years ago but an organization can do anything from unmasking an anonymou…

I think this is a false choice.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#5
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it Hard disagree. Modern technology is mishandled most intensely by large organizations. When it's misused by individuals it's usually based on information freely given. An individual might send your employer an insensitive tweet you made ten years ago but an organization can do anything from unmasking an anonymou…

I think this is a false choice.

would you expand upon that

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is a false choice.

would you expand upon that

I’m not sure individuals -or- organizations can be fully trusted. It’s one reason for the 4th amendment, or the requirements for auditing of companies by independent accounting firms, or all sorts of laws restricting individuals, organizations and even governments in one way or another.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#7

I wish we could have a honest discussions about the pro and cons of the panopticon the internet has become. Not just the usual "Might makes right" glue moral flaws to the person putting questions to power oppossed by fierce "liberty at all cost aka anarchism". It seems pretty obvious that the individual can not be trusted with the power modern technology hands to it, but then again, i find the three letter agencies t…

As an anarchist, I wish we could have conversations on any topic about something other than two contrived polar opposite positions. Life is not neat dichotomies. People are just trained to take a simpleton's view of things.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#8
Two things can be true:

- the NSA and/or other three letter agencies are/were out of control

- Snowden did enormous damage to US and allies with his indiscriminate distribution of classified information

https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/snowden-is-a-traitor-and...

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#9
I don't think that's much of a revelation. Every time national security information falls into the hands of a news org, the government will ask them not to publish it. Sometimes appealing to them on civic grounds that it will weaken security or probably threatening legal action. The NY Times famously sat on the warrantless wiretapping story for nearly a year because they were lead to believe it could compromise ongoing investigations. Although it was never proven true, the Washington Times was accused of helping Osama bin Laden by revealing that US intelligence could track his satellite phone. In the US or UK media orgs generally has very little to fear in terms of actual punishment, but they do have to make a very real calculus over whether they're serving the public interest.

Re: Snowden: US asked British spy agency to stop Guardian publishing revelations

#10
post #8

Two things can be true: - the NSA and/or other three letter agencies are/were out of control - Snowden did enormous damage to US and allies with his indiscriminate distribution of classified information https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/snowden-is-a-traitor-and...

> Snowden did enormous damage to US and allies with his indiscriminate distribution of classified information

Sure, in the same way that the police do to organised white-collar criminals when they arrest them and put them in prison.

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