
What are the best arguments against using mass surveillance to collect data? - yuhong
https://www.quora.com/unanswered/What-is-the-best-argument-against-mass-surveillance-to-collect-data?share=1
======
bachbach
Self interest. A lot of power of any sort it creates a power imbalance which
creates instability.

Persons within the state or other state actors orchestrate a takeover because
they are greedy or fearful and then their hold on power is also tenuous so
there is a race to the bottom to stay alive.

Mass surveillance has potential ethical use which is the study of an
information ecology. The participants are aware of their observation - their
behavior and even thoughts change. Predictive power is lost and adds a
multiplier to political instability.

An ideologue takes over and uses the apparatus to kill all those who can be
identified as an enemy.

The apparatus is used for personal gain, the theft of industrial secrets,
blackmail - becoming systematic and introducing crippling costs to anybody
wanting to go into business or politics.

------
yuhong
As a happens, I noticed a scientist at Microsoft answering another similar
question: [https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-argument-against-
mass...](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-argument-against-mass-
surveillance-when-people-say-%E2%80%9CIf-you-have-nothing-to-hide-you-have-
nothing-to-fear%E2%80%9D?share=1)

Note however that I want to focus on general arguments, not ones specific to
any vendor.

