4 ms·

It is historically derived from trust in the government, police and security services. High profile failures aside, that trust has mostly been earned and respec

It is historically derived from trust in the government, police and security services. High profile failures aside, that trust has mostly been earned and respected for a long time. It doesn't change the principles or deeper dangers of course but it does affect public perception. Most people simply have bigger things to worry about when they believe these tools are usually being employed with good intentions.

deleted 4y ago
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musha68k 4y ago
Yes, it’s understandable that most don’t (have the time/energy) to worry. I’m Austrian though and hence have a deep distrust of any bureaucracy that records “everything” and generally works too well. I think it’s a fallacy that these systems can’t / won’t ever be exploited on a larger scale (pretty large already telling from the article..)
- Silhouette 4y ago
  I think your distrust is probably wise. Even if things are trustworthy today there is always a chance of that changing with a new government tomorrow and history provides too many examples where that didn't end well. Unfortunately part of the problem is that different types of people experience these systems very differently. I'm unremarkable and unlikely to attract the interest of the authorities by association either so most of the ongoing problems you do see in the news don't tend to affect me or those close to me. I remember how one similarly unremarkable person I know was shocked and quite upset when they were challenged by a huge scary-looking guy to show some kind of ticket while travelling in London even though they had one and hadn't done anything wrong. And then I wonder how often a mid-teens black kid living on the estate 25 metres overhead has been "profiled" by the Met and what their experience of being challenged by authority must feel like. Until we fix the glaring inequalities in our society there will always be big problems lurking underneath sadly.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

musha68k 4y ago

Yes, it’s understandable that most don’t (have the time/energy) to worry. I’m Austrian though and hence have a deep distrust of any bureaucracy that records “everything” and generally works too well. I think it’s a fallacy that these systems can’t / won’t ever be exploited on a larger scale (pretty large already telling from the article..)

Silhouette 4y ago
I think your distrust is probably wise. Even if things are trustworthy today there is always a chance of that changing with a new government tomorrow and history provides too many examples where that didn't end well. Unfortunately part of the problem is that different types of people experience these systems very differently. I'm unremarkable and unlikely to attract the interest of the authorities by association either so most of the ongoing problems you do see in the news don't tend to affect me or those close to me. I remember how one similarly unremarkable person I know was shocked and quite upset when they were challenged by a huge scary-looking guy to show some kind of ticket while travelling in London even though they had one and hadn't done anything wrong. And then I wonder how often a mid-teens black kid living on the estate 25 metres overhead has been "profiled" by the Met and what their experience of being challenged by authority must feel like. Until we fix the glaring inequalities in our society there will always be big problems lurking underneath sadly.