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This is a spurious comparison. Restrictions on piracy are immediately visible to people. They get blocked from doing something, they pay more for music or films
by casca 15y ago
This is a spurious comparison. Restrictions on piracy are immediately visible to people. They get blocked from doing something, they pay more for music or films, they go to prison. There is a tangible effect that gets media coverage.
Privacy and the loss thereof is almost always entirely invisible. So Google, Facebook et al collect all my browsing habits and use it to sell things to me. It's not an event that can make the average person upset.
SOPA got the internets aflutter because it's something they (think they) can understand. Privacy - not so much.
- wladimir 15y agoI doubt it too. How can this "right to be forgotten" even be serious while the EU is lobbying for data retention laws at the same time?
- jnorthrop 15y ago> It's not an event that can make the average person upset. Not yet anyway, but public opinion is changing and faster than many think. Carr mentioned the updated European Data Directive due out today, but right on it's heels will be a report from the FTC[1] and one from the Department of Commerce[2] formalizing drafts released last year that outline privacy reforms in the US. Events like Google recording Wifi spots, Carrier IQ gathering data and even the story of Apple secretly recording location data are becoming more prevalent. I think we are only 12-18 months out before scattered public opinion changes to real momentum for privacy rights activists. [1]http://www.privacyrights.org/ftc-protecting-consumer-privacy-report-comments http://www.privacyrights.org/ftc-protecting-consumer-privacy... [2]http://www.iab.net/public_policy/1495162 http://www.iab.net/public_policy/1495162