

Putting Online Privacy in Perspective - yanw
http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/05/putting-online-privacy-in-perspective.html

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AndrewWarner
In the real world, what your friends reveal about you is likely to be much
more harmful to your life than what facebook reveals.

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dennisgorelik
Could anyone point me in the direction of cases when people were hurt by their
information being stored for too long?

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mattmanser
It's only just started happening, so no.

Though you are not clear on your reasons for asking, I can only conclude you
are trying to make a point. I detest this type of argument, it's equivalent to
'only people who have something to hide...'. The potential consequences so
massively outweigh the potential benefits that it's almost a moral imperative
to stamp this practice out.

In the very best case scenario it could be the cause of future embarrassment.
It will destroy careers, snuff out potential great leaders, break marriages,
finish friendships. Lies are a regrettable but essential part of a happy
society.

In the worst it will be the basis of whether or not you get sent to a death
camp by some future government in your country.

Even the best case scenario seems distasteful to me.

As for the article, glad to see I'm not the only one thinking those thoughts.
Credit companies are a modern invention of quite freaky consequence. As for
someone like Tesco running round with the shopping habits of a large majority
of the UK, very worrying.

Trouble is it's all so overwhelming when you actually think about it, it's
very easy to file under 'problem someone else should worry about' in your
brain. It is one of these things that people will only lament when it gets
abused.

