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any time someone tells me they've got nothing to hide. Has anyone ever actually uttered that particular strawman argument to you? I think it may be the second

any time someone tells me they've got nothing to hide. Has anyone ever actually uttered that particular strawman argument to you? I think it may be the second most commonly used one.

antonzabirko 5y ago
It's used all the time everywhere. From the CCP surveillance, to forced police searches, to normalizing lack of privacy in apartment living, the examples are endless.
stronglikedan 5y ago
Yes. It happens a lot when pointing out privacy consciousness to a layman. Not that I do that often, but when I do, it's the overwhelmingly disproportionate response. Only followed by something about being worth it for the convenience.
- dghlsakjg 5y ago
  The answer that shuts people up real quick is to ask if you can post their banking records on facebook, or to ask them for their credit card number and the three digits on the back. If you are feeling particularly bold, you can always ask them to remove their pants. People who claim they have nothing to hide just don't realize how much they hide on an active basis.
graedus 5y ago
Not a strawman at all, it's a very common attitude if you are not on HN or in a similar bubble. I heard it in person (verbatim, actually) about 5 days ago.
dec0dedab0de 5y ago
my mother, my best friend, multiple co-workers and ex girlfriends. Even one person who grew up under the Warsaw Pact, and defected. He would say it, even when he did have something to hide, because he knew that the powers that be could always use something against you. Also known as CYA.
- AlbertCory 5y ago
  I believe Stalin said "Show me the man, I'll show you the crime." If this person grew up under that legacy, he knew that they could take anything and use it to incriminate you, if they wanted you gone. But that doesn't mean you have to help them.
vmception 5y ago
fascinating rebuttal, so because you - a random account - didn't notice it before, it must be a strawman argument. I don't really understand the utility of going that direction? Like, are you advocating for something in particular such as anti-privacy measures or are really just independently unaware that people would say something while that's fascinating enough to you that it would be a fictional argument that you feel undermine "pro-privacy" talking points Its just hard to see why it would bother you enough to invalidate it
npteljes 5y ago
Happened to me too, and those who told me practically handled it as a conscious tradeoff. They give up some privacy, whatever, they're not doing anything extraordinary, and they reap some benefits.
concordDance 5y ago
Must have heard it dozens of times by now. Many on Hacker News.

any time someone tells me they've got nothing to hide. Has anyone ever actually uttered that particular strawman argument to you? I think it may be the second most commonly used one.

antonzabirko 5y ago

It's used all the time everywhere. From the CCP surveillance, to forced police searches, to normalizing lack of privacy in apartment living, the examples are endless.

stronglikedan 5y ago

Yes. It happens a lot when pointing out privacy consciousness to a layman. Not that I do that often, but when I do, it's the overwhelmingly disproportionate response. Only followed by something about being worth it for the convenience.

dghlsakjg 5y ago
The answer that shuts people up real quick is to ask if you can post their banking records on facebook, or to ask them for their credit card number and the three digits on the back. If you are feeling particularly bold, you can always ask them to remove their pants. People who claim they have nothing to hide just don't realize how much they hide on an active basis.

graedus 5y ago

Not a strawman at all, it's a very common attitude if you are not on HN or in a similar bubble. I heard it in person (verbatim, actually) about 5 days ago.

dec0dedab0de 5y ago

my mother, my best friend, multiple co-workers and ex girlfriends. Even one person who grew up under the Warsaw Pact, and defected. He would say it, even when he did have something to hide, because he knew that the powers that be could always use something against you. Also known as CYA.

AlbertCory 5y ago
I believe Stalin said "Show me the man, I'll show you the crime." If this person grew up under that legacy, he knew that they could take anything and use it to incriminate you, if they wanted you gone. But that doesn't mean you have to help them.

vmception 5y ago

fascinating rebuttal, so because you - a random account - didn't notice it before, it must be a strawman argument. I don't really understand the utility of going that direction? Like, are you advocating for something in particular such as anti-privacy measures or are really just independently unaware that people would say something while that's fascinating enough to you that it would be a fictional argument that you feel undermine "pro-privacy" talking points Its just hard to see why it would bother you enough to invalidate it

npteljes 5y ago

Happened to me too, and those who told me practically handled it as a conscious tradeoff. They give up some privacy, whatever, they're not doing anything extraordinary, and they reap some benefits.

concordDance 5y ago

Must have heard it dozens of times by now. Many on Hacker News.