this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
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Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I fully agree with what he says, but it doesn't seem to be an answer to her question.

Yes, our right to privacy is important, and he very clearly, and, not sure how say it, makes it relatable and easy to understand.

But, her question seems to have more to do with privacy at the cost of public safety.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I would say living in a free society isn't without risks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Living isn't without risks.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

And that's why we must lock every one of our free citizens up. Y'know, for their protection.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Goebbels is not the first person to say this. An earlier quote comes from Upton Sinclair in 1918:

Not merely was my own mail opened, but the mail of all my relatives and friends—people residing in places as far apart as California and Florida. I recall the bland smile of a government official to whom I complained about this matter: ‘If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.’

Let's be clear: the right to privacy is not a fascist dogma.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Since Goebbels used the phrase "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear", then he'd be the one arguing against the right to privacy. The fascist dogma is eroding privacy in favour of surveillance - ostensibly to protect the people, but really just to control them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I don't know how I got that so backward when I wrote that. Thanks for correcting me.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

The same oligarchs who lash out at you for wanting privacy are the same who are doing dark evil deeds that they absolutely want to keep private and a secret.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

Can someone post that one meme please

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" "Oh ok, I'll just leak these secret government files online then!" terror

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

If they really think there's no reason to hide anything, why are they prosecuting Snowden for exposing something that was hidden?

Before having surveillance on people, they should have it on themselves.

Imagine how many corruption cases could have been prevented if the government was publicly monitored, with live streams from all offices, like a "big brother" show set up in the white house with live recordings of all calls and communications, so the voters can judge by themselves and monitor if the person they employed as the servant for the country is doing its job.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago

Tragedy what happened to this hero.

We have always been a shameful nation, even from the beginning.

"All men are created equal"

is slave state

But what happened to Snowden was a modern reaffirmation of our long held belief that this is a nation not only created by the shitters, but also maintained for the new and improved generation of shitters.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago

GNU Terry Pratchett

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago
[–] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago

In the early 2010s, If you've nothing to hide you've nothing to fear had already been resurfacing as a common thought-stopping cliché here in the states, since SCOTUS had been adding carve-outs by the dozens to the fourth amendment to the Constitution to the United States (the one about protections from unreasonable searches and seizures). At first, if you didn't speak english, or are within 100 miles of a US border or coast (that's most of the US), the police got free probable cause. Eventually SCOTUS ruled that if you were searched illegally and evidence for a crime was found, that evidence could not be suppressed if the crime was significant enough (e.g. ~~the clothes of a missing child~~ no wait, simple drug possession was enough.)

We were already aware of the FISC, FBI National Security Letters (the origins of the NSL canary statements) and the disposition matrix, by which even US citizens could be sentenced to execution by secret trial; the right to face one's accuser was long forfeit.

But then, it was also a period in which US citizens averaged about three crimes a day, mostly violations of the CFAA (which Reagan signed into law after watching Wargames 1983. Violation of the TOS of a website was a federal felony, which meant every tween that got a ~~Facebook~~ Friendster or Myspace account was committing a crime that could be sentenced up to 25 years (what is the upper limit for murder one in some states). It wasn't enforced... unless some official needed you to go away, say because he wanted your wife, or your property, or for you to shut up about his crimes.

And this is one example, and why telephone encryption is such a problem. Today, it's illegal in most states for law enforcement to search your phone once you're in custody without a warrant. They do anyway, and might or might not be able to crack the encryption with current tech (it's an ongoing race between exploits and fixes). If they find something worth prosecuting, or assets worth seizing or extorting you over, or if they just don't like you, then yes, expect to lose all your valuable property and assets, and become their informant. Sexual favors may also be necessary if you're attractive.

And that's why we need privacy, even as SCOTUS continues to strip it away from us.

In the 2020s, though, it's all the other technologies: IMSI spoofing, camera drones, ALPRs, Facial Recognition (which is a good way to get falsely convicted), Ring doorbell camera botnets, reverse warrants based on location or websearches, and so on. Big Brother is left holding the beer of IRL 2024.

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