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‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

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41–50 of 293 posts

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ask them to share their email password

Not a useful argument; anyone making the "nothing to hide" argument is implicitly arguing the trustworthiness (or the low likelihood of a mistake impacting them) of the state/justice system. You and other members of the general public are not part of that. This is also why the snippy "so you don't have (locks on your doors/blinds on your windows/etc.)?" comeback does not work.

Who makes up the state and justice system? Is it not people?

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#42

I’ve got plenty to hide, and I hide all my most prized things as best as I can. I enjoy obfuscating things s much as possible just to be a tiny grain of sand of irritation in big data’s crotch. I’m also maybe a bit oppositionally defiant but I enjoy hiding my shit. Why does anyone assume a right to know everyone’s business?

[dead]

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#43

The problem with the "I've got nothing to hide" argument is it's not "you" who decides what is "right" or "wrong". The entity doing the "spying" determines what is right or wrong. "You" might think "x" is ok, however the "spying" entity may have the opposite view. And it is the "spying" entity's opinion that matters, not yours, because it always them that have the power and authority in determining what is "right" or…

The main issue is the reversal of presumption of innocence. Assuming privacy is only to hide wrongdoing...

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#44

I’ve got plenty to hide, and I hide all my most prized things as best as I can. I enjoy obfuscating things s much as possible just to be a tiny grain of sand of irritation in big data’s crotch. I’m also maybe a bit oppositionally defiant but I enjoy hiding my shit. Why does anyone assume a right to know everyone’s business?

[dead]

> Can you elaborate what you exactly obfuscate ?

I would be very disappointed by grandparent if he/she actually does that.

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#45
The simplest retort I've heard to "I have nothing to hide" is "then send me a nude photo of yourself." Theres nothing wrong with nude bodies, but it is definitely private. I.e. privacy has nothing to do with hiding wrong/illegal things.

(obligatory disclaimer: a little inaccuracy saves a lot of explanation, but I think this gets the gist across)

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#47
post #33
post #22

I found out that asking people that got "nothing to hide so neither should you" to mount a video stream from their bedroom shuts them up right quick.

I don't have anything to hide from a person I can trust.

[dead]

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#48

Unless we’re talking about financial privacy, in which case many alleged privacy supporters will curiously switch sides and defend KYC, transaction tracking and other ways of controlling other people’s wallets.

Did he somewhere defend KYC? I haven’t heard anyone who defends KYC except a bank teller and a scammy car salesman.

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#49
Here's the first listed criticism of the saying on its Wikipedia page [1], by none other than Edward Snowden:

> Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

Re: ‘I've got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy (2007)

#50
post #40

Posted this three years ago, but its still relevant: My nothing to hide argument; Nothing to hide is an incomplete sentence. Nothing to hide from who? Surely you want to hide your children from abusers and predators? Don't you want to hide your banking details from con artists and fraudsters? Your identity from identity thieves.. Your location from burglars, your car keys from car thieves or your blood type from rich…

This is actually well phrased

Its often that we see something thats wrong, but we struggle to express why. This does.

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