4 ms·

I'm waiting to see if this gets traction on HN. In case it doesn't, and so I can propose something only to the few who dig to the bottom of the comments: The p

by sounds 10y ago

I'm waiting to see if this gets traction on HN. In case it doesn't, and so I can propose something only to the few who dig to the bottom of the comments: The problem is social. A technological solution will not suffice.

dredmorbius 10y ago
I'd really like to see your extended thoughts, and this is getting better traction than I'd hoped when submitting it. I half agree with you: technological solutions alone will not suffice, though they may be part of the solution. But additionally, legal reforms, economic reforms, and social reforms need to be part of this. Legal reforms to limit the ability of organisations to access, appropriate, store, exchange, and act based on exfiltrated data. Economic reforms, as noted, to change the business model of publishing from ads-supported media. Social reforms such that people push back on this. That's less a burden than necessary, IMO, as awareness of the scope of invasion seems highly developed, though responses to that are presently limited. In concert with the above, provided and mandated technical means for people to protect their information, and to keep corporations and other organisations from grabbing and using it in the first place.
jtrip 10y ago
I agree, the problem is social. To be more specific, the problem is that the corporate clout is too thick and the corporate social structure is broken. Running after the money stick, with total disregard for the person at the other end of the leash. Not purposefully evil but stupid and blind. I think the social structure of the 'proletariat' is fine, though the institutions like the news that support it are being eroded due to changing technology and the corporate clout.
bpchaps 10y ago
Agreed. I'm working on a project with FOIA to build paths towards bulk communication records in Chicago. It's gone much better than I'd have hoped in comparison to the state it started in. If others would like to help out, I'd like to start expanding it out to all of the US. :)
Silhouette 10y ago
The problem is social. A technological solution will not suffice. But technological solutions are probably necessary to some extent even if not sufficient, particularly when we're talking about communications channels where you're sharing something deliberately with one party but other parties are involved along the way.
kordless 10y ago
The problem is trust. Technological solutions exist that embody trust. People must trust technological solutions through social means...a type of prisoner's dilemma if there ever was one.

by sounds 10y ago

dredmorbius 10y ago

I'd really like to see your extended thoughts, and this is getting better traction than I'd hoped when submitting it. I half agree with you: technological solutions alone will not suffice, though they may be part of the solution. But additionally, legal reforms, economic reforms, and social reforms need to be part of this. Legal reforms to limit the ability of organisations to access, appropriate, store, exchange, and act based on exfiltrated data. Economic reforms, as noted, to change the business model of publishing from ads-supported media. Social reforms such that people push back on this. That's less a burden than necessary, IMO, as awareness of the scope of invasion seems highly developed, though responses to that are presently limited. In concert with the above, provided and mandated technical means for people to protect their information, and to keep corporations and other organisations from grabbing and using it in the first place.

jtrip 10y ago

I agree, the problem is social. To be more specific, the problem is that the corporate clout is too thick and the corporate social structure is broken. Running after the money stick, with total disregard for the person at the other end of the leash. Not purposefully evil but stupid and blind. I think the social structure of the 'proletariat' is fine, though the institutions like the news that support it are being eroded due to changing technology and the corporate clout.

bpchaps 10y ago

Agreed. I'm working on a project with FOIA to build paths towards bulk communication records in Chicago. It's gone much better than I'd have hoped in comparison to the state it started in. If others would like to help out, I'd like to start expanding it out to all of the US. :)

Silhouette 10y ago

The problem is social. A technological solution will not suffice. But technological solutions are probably necessary to some extent even if not sufficient, particularly when we're talking about communications channels where you're sharing something deliberately with one party but other parties are involved along the way.

kordless 10y ago

The problem is trust. Technological solutions exist that embody trust. People must trust technological solutions through social means...a type of prisoner's dilemma if there ever was one.