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"I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

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11–20 of 83 posts

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#14

I value my privacy, so I do not have a Google account, and I cannot read this write up.

You do not receive the Google Docs login prompt if your browser is not logged into Google at all.

You do, however, receive the login prompt if your browser is logged in through another Google service (like search). Check to make sure nobody has you logged into Google search or something.

This sort of half logged in status is very annoying.

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#15
If you care about provenance, as I do, let me save you some Googling:

'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy

Daniel J. Solove

George Washington University Law School

San Diego Law Review, Vol. 44, p. 745, 2007

GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 289

(From: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=998565)

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#16
there's something that frustrates me about arguments like this.

I think that technology is inescapably taking us towards a future where anyone and everyone can record everything that any individual does, perpetually, and at arbitrary scale. In many ways we are already there, especially in certain domains (gmail, facebook, cell phones, creep shots, etc). It sounds pessimistic to say "this is inevitable" and I'm sure many people (myself included!) want that to be wrong, but given the technology we produce and the limited degree of control we have over its use, I don't see any alternative.

So the present and future allow for democratized mass surveillance, never mind what your government can do. What is our societal response? Make this illegal? I doubt the effectiveness of that, both against the common man / criminal and also against the government. If you are already terrified that the government will break any of its own laws to watch you (and perhaps this terror is justified), then how would the government passing laws limiting its own abilities allay any of your fears? I don't see how it would.

I'm then annoyed because we seem to be standing on the deck of the Titanic wishing virulently that water wasn't wet. This is the future, and it's coming, and the government will have these records, and private companies will have these records, and countless individuals will have these records. What are we meaningfully going to do? Pass laws? Are we simply going to will back the clock to when this wasn't possible? Or should we instead start to talk about what this future, recorded, society will look like?

I welcome an effective "call to action" response to turn back the tide of mass surveillance...

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#17
post #16

there's something that frustrates me about arguments like this. I think that technology is inescapably taking us towards a future where anyone and everyone can record everything that any individual does, perpetually, and at arbitrary scale. In many ways we are already there, especially in certain domains (gmail, facebook, cell phones, creep shots, etc). It sounds pessimistic to say "this is inevitable" and I'm sure m…

A question. Can a mass surveillance system be designed in a such way, so it doesn't take away privacy or reduce civil liberties?

If the answer is no, then it is simple. It should be illegal to spend tax money on such mass surveillance systems.

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#18

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ― Benjamin Franklin

"If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him."

- Cardinal Richelieu

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#19
post #16

there's something that frustrates me about arguments like this. I think that technology is inescapably taking us towards a future where anyone and everyone can record everything that any individual does, perpetually, and at arbitrary scale. In many ways we are already there, especially in certain domains (gmail, facebook, cell phones, creep shots, etc). It sounds pessimistic to say "this is inevitable" and I'm sure m…

A question. Can a mass surveillance system be designed in a such way, so it doesn't take away privacy or reduce civil liberties? If the answer is no, then it is simple. It should be illegal to spend tax money on such mass surveillance systems.

Yes it can, as it has been done before with the police system. You have a group of people watching society and reporting any criminal activity. It just so happens that the response system is already built in. Police don't go into private homes or search belongings without due process.

It should be quite easy to design a system in that way. Cameras and other surveillance tools can only be placed in public places; this will protect civil liberties while still enabling the government to better distribute justice. In effect, they will place a policeman on every street corner.

Re: "I've got nothing to hide" and other misunderstandings of privacy

#20
post #16

there's something that frustrates me about arguments like this. I think that technology is inescapably taking us towards a future where anyone and everyone can record everything that any individual does, perpetually, and at arbitrary scale. In many ways we are already there, especially in certain domains (gmail, facebook, cell phones, creep shots, etc). It sounds pessimistic to say "this is inevitable" and I'm sure m…

A question. Can a mass surveillance system be designed in a such way, so it doesn't take away privacy or reduce civil liberties? If the answer is no, then it is simple. It should be illegal to spend tax money on such mass surveillance systems.

> If the answer is no, then it is simple. It should be illegal to spend tax money on such mass surveillance systems.

Yes, but will this stop the government from creating such systems? Will it stop private companies from making such systems? Will it stop private citizens from making such systems? Won't these have the same chilling and deleterious effects that this document outlines as bad, if not worse?

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