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Are we ? The mass Internet surveillance by the u.s. gov was known well before snowden [1], albeit the specific actors were not. Post snowden I've seen public ou
by sonoffett 11y ago
Are we ? The mass Internet surveillance by the u.s. gov was known well before snowden [1], albeit the specific actors were not. Post snowden I've seen public outcry lead to a destabilization of NSA meanwhile private corporations are collecting more data than ever--is this really freer?
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A
- travjones 11y agoAwesome point. When I used the term "freer" I was suggesting that we were freer because even laypeople now KNOW about electronic surveillance practices. But I'm not sure we are actually "free" in any sense of the word, we just know we are constantly being watched. The reality is complicated and unfortunate. Words like "free" or "freedom" will sadly never be appropriate.
- throwawayaway 11y agoRoom 641A was passed off as anomaly, a one off. It was also questioned and all too easily dismissed. The magnitude of room 641a, a 'once off' and the snowden leaks are totally different. Clapper and Alexander lying to congressional hearings too. There's no comparison. > private corporations are collecting more data than ever This has always been inevitable, if at some point the amount of data about ANYTHING decreases I'll surprised. The 'freedom' that emerged from the snowden leaks was the ability to discuss and mitigate the implications of these facts without being dismissed as a crank.