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OTOH, Google and Facebook, with annual incomes larger than the GDP of a medium European country, can log everyone’s every breath, on the internet and, more rece
by pacala 7y ago
OTOH, Google and Facebook, with annual incomes larger than the GDP of a medium European country, can log everyone’s every breath, on the internet and, more recently, in real life, with impunity. I just can’t wrap my head how the municipal police doing it is “nightmarish authoritarianism”, but big adtech, de facto way more powerful, gets a cursory pass.
- mindslight 7y agoBecause people generally endeavor to stay on the topic of a discussion? You seem to be assuming that criticizing government surveillance is somehow an approval of corporate surveillance - it's not either/or, they're both attacks on Free society.
- drdeca 7y agoGoogle et al don’t arrest people or hold them in jail, so that is one dimension in which they are less able to pose a threat. That doesn’t mean that they don’t pose a threat though.
- mancerayder 7y agoNo, but they certainly can hand them over to those who can! https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/11/12/18089090/amazon-echo-alexa-smart-speaker-privacy-data https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/11/12/18089090/amazon-ech...
- BloominOnion 7y agoI think most people would view it from the lens of Police inherently having legislated power over people and the ability to detain, arrest and/or charge people. Big adtech have insane amounts of data and deep pockets but realistically no means to carry out the above, however that doesn't mean big adtech should get a pass.
- auiya 7y agoThe argument is that you use those products and give them that information voluntarily, however under-handed the tactics are to get you to volunteer that info. Law enforcement surveillance isn't voluntary.
- thatcat 7y agoIf police use the lack of information from those avenues as a justification for a warrant to conduct surveillance then that argument is moot.
- auiya 7y agoAre you privy to any warrants actually being issued solely because the police couldn't turn up info on a suspect via Facebook or Google? Maybe I'm ignorant, but I don't think that's a thing that actually happens.
- thatcat 7y agoAlthough reputation and behavior has a role in the decision other factors would need to be in play. I meant more that no social media could be seen as anti social by a judge and added to the list of things that ultimately satisfies probable cause.