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Given the current political situation in the US, I'm surprised you're doubtful there will one day be an oppressive totalitarian government that uses this inform

Given the current political situation in the US, I'm surprised you're doubtful there will one day be an oppressive totalitarian government that uses this information against you. Do you really doubt that there are currently politicians in power who would not hesitate to leverage this data to their benefit? If so, it seems we're living in different realities.

spunker540 10y ago
Could you give a specific example of how typical data (ie internet browsing records) could be exploited by a politician? Will they arrest me? Tax me? Publicly shame me for reading the New York Times?
- cowpig 10y ago
  sure: https://medium.com/startup-grind/how-the-trump-campaign-built-an-identity-database-and-used-facebook-ads-to-win-the-election-4ff7d24269ac https://medium.com/startup-grind/how-the-trump-campaign-buil...
  - spunker540 10y ago
    That's a good article -- but I will say that (for now at least) facebook is a level-playing field and anyone and everyone can equally leverage its targeting abilities. Sure its more refined than older ad technology, but picking the tv or radio shows during which one runs ads, or picking the magazines and newspapers in which one runs ads is not that different from targeting facebook ads. The first politicians 100 years ago to target ads on the radio probably gained the same advantages that Trump did in 2016 with facebook.
- CaptSpify 10y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism That was only ~60 years ago. I would absolutely argue that we aren't that far off, ATM. EDIT: Also, look at places like China. They absolutely do use that type of data to do harm to people.
  - spunker540 10y ago
    I'm aware that there are places like North Korea where this is a problem -- but what the article was advocating, private servers, encrypted messaging. Do you think if only the Chinese had thought of that, they'd be fine and free on the internet?? My main point is that an oppressive government is a huge problem, and it really doesn't matter whether you use aws or roll your own server, because either way you're screwed if you've let it get to that point.
    - CaptSpify 10y ago
      Those are two problems, and they both need solutions. Centralizing everything makes it easier for the government to abuse it's position. Sure, they can still abuse if if everything is distributed, but it's a lot more work. > My main point is that an oppressive government is a huge problem, and it really doesn't matter whether you use aws or roll your own server, because either way you're screwed if you've let it get to that point. But we aren't at that point yet. So lets not give up trying to build things the right way just because we may be screwed in the future.
- hackuser 10y ago
  > Could you give a specific example of how typical data (ie internet browsing records) could be exploited It could be used for anything, including the No Fly List. It could lead to your arrest. What couldn't it be used for?

spunker540 10y ago

Could you give a specific example of how typical data (ie internet browsing records) could be exploited by a politician? Will they arrest me? Tax me? Publicly shame me for reading the New York Times?

cowpig 10y ago
sure: https://medium.com/startup-grind/how-the-trump-campaign-built-an-identity-database-and-used-facebook-ads-to-win-the-election-4ff7d24269ac https://medium.com/startup-grind/how-the-trump-campaign-buil...
- spunker540 10y ago
  That's a good article -- but I will say that (for now at least) facebook is a level-playing field and anyone and everyone can equally leverage its targeting abilities. Sure its more refined than older ad technology, but picking the tv or radio shows during which one runs ads, or picking the magazines and newspapers in which one runs ads is not that different from targeting facebook ads. The first politicians 100 years ago to target ads on the radio probably gained the same advantages that Trump did in 2016 with facebook.
CaptSpify 10y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism That was only ~60 years ago. I would absolutely argue that we aren't that far off, ATM. EDIT: Also, look at places like China. They absolutely do use that type of data to do harm to people.
- spunker540 10y ago
  I'm aware that there are places like North Korea where this is a problem -- but what the article was advocating, private servers, encrypted messaging. Do you think if only the Chinese had thought of that, they'd be fine and free on the internet?? My main point is that an oppressive government is a huge problem, and it really doesn't matter whether you use aws or roll your own server, because either way you're screwed if you've let it get to that point.
  - CaptSpify 10y ago
    Those are two problems, and they both need solutions. Centralizing everything makes it easier for the government to abuse it's position. Sure, they can still abuse if if everything is distributed, but it's a lot more work. > My main point is that an oppressive government is a huge problem, and it really doesn't matter whether you use aws or roll your own server, because either way you're screwed if you've let it get to that point. But we aren't at that point yet. So lets not give up trying to build things the right way just because we may be screwed in the future.
hackuser 10y ago
> Could you give a specific example of how typical data (ie internet browsing records) could be exploited It could be used for anything, including the No Fly List. It could lead to your arrest. What couldn't it be used for?