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Usefulness shouldn't justify evil. It may be more comfortable to shrug it off that way but it also helps to normalize it. There are a couple of examples in his

by kekebo 7y ago

Usefulness shouldn't justify evil. It may be more comfortable to shrug it off that way but it also helps to normalize it. There are a couple of examples in history where similar attitude on a societal level ultimately led to the most terrible of outcomes.

ineedasername 7y ago
I don't think it's productive to categorize tracking of this sort as evil itself. As with any technology, the applications to which it is put are the determining factor of the morality of the tech. In the case of a user knowingly trading their personal information for free applications and some amount of convenience, I don't see evil when that personal information serves the purpose of targeted advertising. When used for targeting web content that might push a person's view more towards the extreme end of the spectrum, we're getting into the gray area quite a bit. Using that information to identify political enemies of the state and preemptively silence them, then yes I'd say that crossed over into the evil side of the spectrum.
ariwilson 7y ago
I don't think that Google's My Activity Page is evil therefore your argument is irrelevant.
- SheinhardtWigCo 7y ago
  I don’t think it’s appropriate to use HN to repeatedly defend your employer without disclosing that affiliation. If you’re going to do it, at least try to argue your point of view with some substance.
  - ariwilson 7y ago
    Completely disagree as it just seems like we're going to waste a lot of time with disclaimers rather than having a real discussion (a la CA prop 65 warnings). How far does the "employer affiliation" responsibility go? If you leave a company, does it still apply? If you're in a company backed by YC does it apply? If you disagree with what your company is doing does it still apply? I don't go out of my way to acknowledge my employer affiliation but I don't go out of my way to hide it either, e.g. do a search or look for some of my more technical posts. I put the same amount of effort into my post as the parent did into establishing the evil of this page.

by kekebo 7y ago

ineedasername 7y ago

I don't think it's productive to categorize tracking of this sort as evil itself. As with any technology, the applications to which it is put are the determining factor of the morality of the tech. In the case of a user knowingly trading their personal information for free applications and some amount of convenience, I don't see evil when that personal information serves the purpose of targeted advertising. When used for targeting web content that might push a person's view more towards the extreme end of the spectrum, we're getting into the gray area quite a bit. Using that information to identify political enemies of the state and preemptively silence them, then yes I'd say that crossed over into the evil side of the spectrum.

ariwilson 7y ago

I don't think that Google's My Activity Page is evil therefore your argument is irrelevant.

SheinhardtWigCo 7y ago
I don’t think it’s appropriate to use HN to repeatedly defend your employer without disclosing that affiliation. If you’re going to do it, at least try to argue your point of view with some substance.
- ariwilson 7y ago
  Completely disagree as it just seems like we're going to waste a lot of time with disclaimers rather than having a real discussion (a la CA prop 65 warnings). How far does the "employer affiliation" responsibility go? If you leave a company, does it still apply? If you're in a company backed by YC does it apply? If you disagree with what your company is doing does it still apply? I don't go out of my way to acknowledge my employer affiliation but I don't go out of my way to hide it either, e.g. do a search or look for some of my more technical posts. I put the same amount of effort into my post as the parent did into establishing the evil of this page.