

Schneier: The Value of Privacy - tpyo
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/05/the_value_of_pr.html

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derefr
In a world where everyone has an equal lack of privacy (e.g. everything
everyone does is filmed and can be watched by everyone else), don't you think
social mores regarding what _is_ "embarrassing" or "shameful" would change?

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dabent
> don't you think social mores regarding what is "embarrassing" or "shameful"
> would change?

I'm old enough to realize they already have quite a bit. As a child, it was
safest for a gay person to stay in the closet, now states are legalizing gay
marriage. The idea that someone can be openly gay alone is a huge change. Even
celebrities used to hide it, now they can't because someone is sure to catch a
photo of them out with someone or at a club.

The same is true for drug use. Michael Phelps was caught on camera with a
pipe, but people just shrugged and moved on.

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EliAndrewC
Michael Phelps was also suspended from competition for several months and lost
some of his endorsement deals as a result of the pipe photograph. Plus while
people in your life (and mine) may have just shrugged and moved on, this was a
big deal for a lot of people and was endlessly discussed in the media.

Granted, this isn't nearly the scandal it may once have been, nor is it
considered nearly as shameful as in the past, so the social mores are
definitely changing. But that photograph definitely had a negative impact on
his life.

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Dmunro
Though the article is from 2006, it's timely

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JohnFritzen
I think it was posted in response to this...

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=983717>

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trebor
> Too many wrongly characterize the debate as "security versus privacy." The
> real choice is liberty versus control. Tyranny, whether it arises under
> threat of foreign physical attack or under constant domestic authoritative
> scrutiny, is still tyranny. [...]

Personally, I phrase the debate as _Security and Privacy_ versus _the
Government_.

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theBobMcCormick
Just the government? So you have _no_ problems with Google, Microsoft, etc.
violating your privacy? It's only a problem if the government does?

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txxxxd
A corporation will use your information to make money, and they only have
access to data that you freely provide them or their partners.

The government can gather your information covertly, can obtain data from
multiple companies using legal means unavailable to corporations, and
typically do so with the goal of charging one with a crime.

~~~
diego
A corporation is composed of people, who are corruptible. There must be many
people at Google (just to name one high-profile company) who have access to
the email archive and search history of pretty much everyone they know. It
seems inevitable that someone will misuse that information if it hasn't
happened yet.

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RevRal
Ah, the tumultuous calm before the storm.

