[LINK] The Perpetual, Invisible Window Into Your Gmail Inbox

[TKoltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Roger Clarke
> Sent: Saturday, 11 February 2012 2:30 PM
> To: Link list
> Subject: Re: [LINK] The Perpetual, Invisible Window Into Your 
> Gmail Inbox
> 
><SNIP>
> 
> 40 years' privacy advocacy (yep, 1972 was when I tripped into it) has 
> taught me that it doesn't matter how good your analysis, and how 
> convincing your argument (to you at least), 'privacy doesn't matter 
> until it does'.

So, at last we have someone to hang the ZiP (Zero internet Privacy) hat
on.

Let me see, you took on the mantle in 1972, and our privacy has been
gradually eroded every year since.

You probably had a hand in the evolution WiFi, CCD cameras and the
Internet too I'll bet.

> So the strategic bit of me wants, and is dependent on, "an inevitable 
> privacy meltdown".
> 
> The tactical bit, and the SNAG part of me (if any), hopes that the 
> damage to the suckers won't be too great before the meltdown occurs.
> 

Have you ever thought of running for office ?

I'm sure you are adequately qualified for the highest post in the land.

Err, that of the Privacy Commissioner.
Then again, what Government in their right mind would appoint someone
who could actually make a positive change and piss off the electoral
contributors.

<SNIP>
> 
> See also the letter a bunch of us signed almost 8 years ago, when 
> Gmail was launched:  http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/GmailLetter.htm


Interestingly, I think I said something very similar in 1994 when
Hotmail was launched.

How can all those people allow a corporation, no matter how well
intentioned have access to their most private and/or confidential
business correspondence.

I guess to understand that, people have to learn how to run a unix
post-office...

Tail -f > secret copy...

The good news is that with everyone learning Android, very soon, the
privacy concerns that you have been espousing for forty years are about
to be understood by everyone, the second they realise they can hack
passers-by phone contact lists.

I think this phenomenon is similar to everyone leaving their keys in
their cars in the seventies, which gradually over a decade changed to
locking the cars and taking the keys.
All it took was a few insurance companies selling "car insurance" to
change humanities mindset. 
As soon as the corporations decide to start profit from reputation
management, then the public will start to take it seriously.
Research it guys. The average citizen didn't think about joyriding cars
until the insurance companies made it ok to do so by covering the theft
from your fellow human beings.

Much of our current societal ills are a direct result of
commercialisation. 

Crowd sourcing is forcing/(allowing) humanity to return to a hunter
gatherer/artisan/craftsman community based society. 
Goodwill and Peace on earth will eventually out again and we will be
able to not have to carry our keys with us... (yeah yeah I know
biometrics are built-in - I was just being winsomely wishful.)

Disclaimer: I am neither anthropologist nor Psychologist, therefore my
comments should be considered an anecdotal macro-economic pipe-dream
observation at best.


TomK