3 ms·

The things you mention are already illegal. The effective proven solution is to enforce existing laws, to punish and deter bad behaviour like any other crime.

The things you mention are already illegal. The effective proven solution is to enforce existing laws, to punish and deter bad behaviour like any other crime. This incongruence is why a lot of people don't take the reasoning at face value and see it as only rhetorical justification for increased surveillance, which is widely understood as something the state wants do do anyway.

yladiz 9mo ago
How do you deal with a crime that isn’t reported due to things like shame? Not to say that we need to scan messages to enforce nudes not to be sent, but I don’t think you can say “just enforce existing laws” and be done with it, it’s not that simple.
- HPsquared 9mo ago
  The externalities of this policy don't justify that small benefit.
  - yladiz 9mo ago
    Define small benefit.
    - HPsquared 9mo ago
      A slightly increased ability to detect a subset of unreported crimes.
- t0bia_s 9mo ago
  Maybe we should ban a shame?
- iamnothere 9mo ago
  Perhaps His Majesty’s Government could establish mandatory thought scanning using cutting edge technology[0] to ensure that no crimes go unreported due to shame, dishonesty, or threats. Just step into the scanning booth once a week, a minor inconvenience to ensure your safety. Surely you have nothing to hide? [0] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03714-0 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03714-0
- mrbadguy 9mo ago
  If people don’t report crime then we have to leave it. The answer can’t be just to invade everyone’s privacy looking for crimes (before they’re even committed!)
- rjdj377dhabsn 9mo ago
  > How do you deal with a crime that isn’t reported due to things like shame? You don't.
- array_key_first 9mo ago
  Of the crimes that are reported, I think a lot go nowhere. The lack of proper enforcement breeds distrust. The government already has access to WAY more data than it needs and... nothing is happening? People are still getting unsolicited dick pics and nobody seems to care? The only reasonable conclusion is that the government wants the data because it wants it. The crime angle is just one that is easy for people to swallow. See also: think of the children!
flumpcakes 9mo ago
I posted a reply here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46599842 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46599842 that addresses why I think "this is already a crime" doesn't go far enough, and why these laws are being introduced.

yladiz 9mo ago

How do you deal with a crime that isn’t reported due to things like shame? Not to say that we need to scan messages to enforce nudes not to be sent, but I don’t think you can say “just enforce existing laws” and be done with it, it’s not that simple.

HPsquared 9mo ago
The externalities of this policy don't justify that small benefit.
- yladiz 9mo ago
  Define small benefit.
  - HPsquared 9mo ago
    A slightly increased ability to detect a subset of unreported crimes.
t0bia_s 9mo ago
Maybe we should ban a shame?
iamnothere 9mo ago
Perhaps His Majesty’s Government could establish mandatory thought scanning using cutting edge technology[0] to ensure that no crimes go unreported due to shame, dishonesty, or threats. Just step into the scanning booth once a week, a minor inconvenience to ensure your safety. Surely you have nothing to hide? [0] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03714-0 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03714-0
mrbadguy 9mo ago
If people don’t report crime then we have to leave it. The answer can’t be just to invade everyone’s privacy looking for crimes (before they’re even committed!)
rjdj377dhabsn 9mo ago
> How do you deal with a crime that isn’t reported due to things like shame? You don't.
array_key_first 9mo ago
Of the crimes that are reported, I think a lot go nowhere. The lack of proper enforcement breeds distrust. The government already has access to WAY more data than it needs and... nothing is happening? People are still getting unsolicited dick pics and nobody seems to care? The only reasonable conclusion is that the government wants the data because it wants it. The crime angle is just one that is easy for people to swallow. See also: think of the children!

flumpcakes 9mo ago

I posted a reply here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46599842 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46599842 that addresses why I think "this is already a crime" doesn't go far enough, and why these laws are being introduced.