Fwd: GNU hackers discover HACIENDA government surveillance and give us a way to fight back

[Mark Rousell]

On 23/08/2014 11:16, dan at geer.org wrote:
> 
>  > On 2014-08-22 at 21:13, Rejo Zenger wrote:
>  > 
>  > Open data and transparency should only be about what concerns everybody,
>  > like government actions, trains schedule, etc. not private information.
> 
> Is this not the core of the question?  In a world of social media
> and sensor-driven everything, does not the very concept of private
> information fade, per se?  I believe it does.

No. Taking part in social networks and other media is a choice. One can
a) choose not to take part at all, or b) choose how one takes part and
what information one shares.

In short, privacy of information is still real, still relevant, and
still (largely) within the control of the individual. Tools such as
encryption help retain the reality of privacy of information.

The question of privacy of information is of critical importance to
liberty. By choosing to believe that privacy (or specifically privacy of
information) is a concept that has "fade"ed you are playing into the
hands of those who would wish to forcefully strip us all of privacy,
whether we like or or not. That would be a mistake, I think.



-- 
Mark Rousell

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