The idea of “privacy" has undergone significant changes in the digital age, as has the idea of privacy “harm.” Fearful of British spying, influence and intervention, the founding fathers granted citizens significant protections in the Constitution. Now, the tables have turned: Concerns about what some see as a U.S. “dragnet” and unwarranted privacy intrusions have compelled other countries to revamp their own privacy protections. Legislation, both at home and abroad, hasn’t kept pace with technological developments, leaving some wondering if privacy as we know it is long dead.
Premeeting Notes
The author of the Privacy article is almost shrill in touting the violations of privacy as it has been known and dangers thereof. But, it is perfectly true. I have been in computing since 1963 (over 50 years) and have seen it all. I spend hours on the internet every day and have created and maintain over a thousand web pages.
Looking at history, government does things is extremes. As a result of anti-Vietnam war protesters, congress demanded that CIA and FBI, international vs domestic, we separated, they were forbidden to share information. After 911 revealed that together there was sufficent information to have predicted the
twin towers attack. So they open up information such that a transgender private in the US Army was able to spread millions confidential diplomatic communications
to the world.
Just this week an anti-spyware company discovered that a form of spyware that actually re-programs the disk firmware on personal computers for the six biggest brands of disk drive.
Also this week, it was revealt that NSA has a backdoor built into all computers shipped to overseas markets. Can we have any doubt about domestic computers?
Is this legal. If you access any government website, one of the pages nobody reads says that by the very act of having already opened that web site, you have granted the the government the right to access your entire computer. We are nation of laws and you have unwittingly “legally”, after the fact, given away your privacy.
This week the FBI is trying to end that Judges can issue warrants in their own jurisdiction and instill a universal warrant to search everywhere. The logic is that they cannot know where a computer is located or the device on which valueable information might be stored.
I can cite some other violations that didn't make the book. There was a Mensa supported Internet Hosting site who made all sorts of advanced features available to users at a really reasonable fee. She sent out a memo warning that all internet data is compromised, sold the company, and ended her involvement. We later find that all internet service providers were obligated to provide NSA access to all member data.
AND service providers are forbidden by law to tell anyone about it.
The NSA is very good at doing what they do. But they are not the only one doing infringement. Many commercial companies tout that they do not sell the membership lists. You sign up for a couple of months or years. BUT, as soon as you drop your membership; you are no longer a member and your information is immediately sold to the highest bidder.
A survey of the history of cryptography shows that once upon a time in an
international negation session, a foreign diplomat left behind a folder. It was rushed to Secretary of State [Henry L. Stimson, 1929]. He refused it citing that "a gentleman does not read other's mail" and shut down the cryptographic department. -– My how the world has changed.
Class Discussion
Modern privacy dates to only the 1960's in Woman's Right to abortion court cases in which the Fourth Admenment right against unreasonable searches and ceisures was interpreted as a right to be left alone.
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Last updated : Friday, Feb 20, 2015, Fri
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