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Regular readers will have noted that we take a decidedly un-Libertarian stance concerning "privacy" and the alleged loss thereof. Mostly this is a result of our practical nature. That is, unlike our true-believer Libertarian brethren, we do NOT think that "principles" are the do-all/be-all wondrous promoters of goodness and joy. Indeed, we consider principles to be the province of religion, not politics, preferring the term "guidelines" to describe what successful politic movements embrace.
So it is with "privacy." We feel that those whose knees jerk whenever some new technological surveillance fix is suggested to solve a public problem...e.g. terrorism...are seriously misguided. They forget that politics is about power and thus engage in battles they can not...ever...win. They fail to distinguish what is public from what is truly private, for example, the difference between behavioral constraints in their homes or doctor's offices versus the local shopping mall. Finally, they consistently overlook one of the main aspects of surveillance, the fact that it is not just available to the government...Big Brother...but also to us, the people. Just ask Rodney King.
Particularly hot topics today are the notions of...
...as well as those old favorites...
Data mining, the perpetual struggle by commercial interests to identify and communicate with potential customers may lead to the daily annoyance of telemarketers, junk snail mail and spam, what exactly are the alternatives? Pass more laws attempting to regulate the dissemination of information? Place commercial messages outside the purview of the First Amendment? Our advice: GET OVER IT! Instead of asking the government to protect you from what amounts to petty...if persistent...aggravation, DEAL WITH IT yourself with the many available technical solutions. As for stop light cameras to detect traffic violations...as they say in prison to whiners..."If you can't do the time, don't do the crime!" In short, stop trying to legislate and restrict technological advances...which historically ALWAYS change the notion of privacy. Instead, go with the flow and EMBRACE new technology to your own...and society's...gain. As for the "slippery slope" argument, hey, gang, we humans stepped onto that one when we first began to talk...and gossip...with one another.
This is especially true of issues like face recognition software. Instead of being outraged at its use in public places...most notably at the last Super Bowl...demand that ALL surveillance images, wherever they are obtained, be pumped onto the Internet. Then the software could become available to EVERYONE and we could ALL participate...if we chose...and many WOULD choose...in the effort to catch terrorists, muggers and buggers. Under those circumstances, we would even favor ubiquitous outdoor video surveillance EVERYWHERE. That way, if a disturbance was occurring in your neighborhood, you could bring up the local cameras on your computer and see what is happening instead of immediately dialing 911. If the latter WERE necessary, the police would also be able to quickly determine proper response. That is, you should think this way if you are SERIOUS about stopping terrorism. Otherwise, barricade yourself in your cellar with your shotgun and ammunition and wait for Armageddon. Of course, you would no longer be able to jack off your dog in your front yard, but such behavior is best kept in the privacy of your home anyway, if you catch our drift.
At one time, the issuance of social security numbers or driver's licenses would have been considered a serious breach of personal privacy. Indeed, some true-believers in absolute privacy/everywhere/always still object to this rather tepid invasion of our personal "space." Like bin Laden et al, they want us to return to some mythical good-old-days rather than deal with the twenty first century as it actually is. In this day of terrorist threats, National...or even INTER-national...I.D. cards could be one simple and effective tool to counter them. No guns necessary, either.
But, most importantly, in the new era where the entire world is having a nervous breakdown...paranoia about bombs, bugs and business spreading like wildfire...the governments of the world MUST engage us, the people in this new "war." Trillion dollar militaries may be good at defeating standing armies, but only we can stop terrorism. To keep the Surveillance Society...which exists whether we like it or not...from becoming the Surveillance State, new surveillance technology must be made available to us all. "Use the force, Luke. It's right there in front of you..."
Talk to you later...
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