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Roe vs Wade was based on a privacy argument, so finding a connection between the pro-choice position and encryption seems natural.
by robonerd 4y ago
Roe vs Wade was based on a privacy argument, so finding a connection between the pro-choice position and encryption seems natural.
- howinteresting 4y agoThe Roe v Wade meaning of "privacy" was about the ability to make intimate, personal decisions without the state interfering, which is somewhat different from (though related to) online privacy. It is pretty clear that the ability to have safer online conversations is key to exercising your ability to make intimate decisions in the modern age, so the two meanings do converge there.
- robonerd 4y agoSure, I don't mean to suggest that Roe vs Wade was actually about encryption. But Roe v Wade makes the privacy angle of the pro-choice position pretty clear; that privacy between a woman and her doctor is relevant to the discussion. If privacy in that context is important, then technology which doesn't subvert that privacy is also important. The convergence of the two seems obvious; people are practically glued to their phones, carry them everywhere, use them for everything. If you care about privacy in virtually any modern context, be it abortion or just about anything else, then you have a reason to care about digital privacy.
- bambax 4y agoYeah ok, but the state should respect the privacy of the individuals in all cases, not just because there are technological barriers to prevent it from violating it. Encryption is a technology; it's a tool. All tools can be broken, subverted, avoided. Privacy is a legal right. There are no physical walls high enough to prevent the state from entering my house if it chooses do to so; the only way to keep the state out of my house is by legal means -- ie, ironically, by regulations and more state, not less.
- robonerd 4y agoYes, it would be best if privacy is protected by law. We should strive for that outcome, but still be prepared for less favorable outcomes.