This parallels the encryption debate somewhat. Govt says 'we need a backdoor to your messaging system/phone to catch $criminal, trust our $system not to abuse i

This parallels the encryption debate somewhat. Govt says 'we need a backdoor to your messaging system/phone to catch $criminal, trust our $system not to abuse it'. Systems like Signal do not try to solve the problem of govt abuse. Instead, it constrains govts by making them find other ways to conduct surveillance, expanding the task of mass surveillance to one of creating implants for O(n) phones. It's true that you can't prevent any University from seeking out dark tech patterns, but at least have them make that choice. The community can then have them accept responsibility for that. Obviously legislation is needed to constrain rempant privacy violation, and we seem a long way off that, especially in the States and the UK. In the mean time, engineers should examine the ethical basis of their work, and consider how it effects their standing in society.