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Obama is still treating this problem as though it's a case of privacy vs security. The real issue is trust. U.S. citizens can't trust what private U.S. corpor

by beloch 13y ago

Obama is still treating this problem as though it's a case of privacy vs security. The real issue is trust. U.S. citizens can't trust what private U.S. corporations tell them if the government has the power to coerce and then muzzle them. This is a poisonous environment to do business in. International business is going to go elsewhere, and domestic business will also choose to outsource to more transparent countries.

Zigurd 13y ago
In parallel with the effect on business, there is likely to be an effect on culture, too. I predict that a significant number of Americans will begin to treat the internet as something like a hazardous, but sometimes necessary and useful substance. Like weed killer. It might not be very dangerous but you sure don't rub it all over your body. Maybe internet will be something you keep in a certain room, and only turn it on when necessary. That's a pity. It was nice to think "Let's try something potentially weird and intrusive but maybe valuable." I don't thank that will ever be thought of the same way.
bobwaycott 13y ago
True. I'd add that this is an issue of privacy, security, and trust--and the need of a people and its government to never violate privacy and dilute trust while achieving security. It is a difficult task, and the government--as well as the corporations they have involved in the process--are egregiously failing.
namank 13y ago
Well put. Trust has become the underlying issue here, everything else is semantics. At the same time though, I think Obama is looking at a comfortable point where trust is traded off for security. Problem with such points is that they can shift in either direction depending on who is in charge - that's what's scary.
popee 13y ago
Serious companies will do that, but for me it would be interesting to see how many individuals already moved away from those companies and their services.

by beloch 13y ago

Zigurd 13y ago

In parallel with the effect on business, there is likely to be an effect on culture, too. I predict that a significant number of Americans will begin to treat the internet as something like a hazardous, but sometimes necessary and useful substance. Like weed killer. It might not be very dangerous but you sure don't rub it all over your body. Maybe internet will be something you keep in a certain room, and only turn it on when necessary. That's a pity. It was nice to think "Let's try something potentially weird and intrusive but maybe valuable." I don't thank that will ever be thought of the same way.

bobwaycott 13y ago

True. I'd add that this is an issue of privacy, security, and trust--and the need of a people and its government to never violate privacy and dilute trust while achieving security. It is a difficult task, and the government--as well as the corporations they have involved in the process--are egregiously failing.

namank 13y ago

Well put. Trust has become the underlying issue here, everything else is semantics. At the same time though, I think Obama is looking at a comfortable point where trust is traded off for security. Problem with such points is that they can shift in either direction depending on who is in charge - that's what's scary.

popee 13y ago

Serious companies will do that, but for me it would be interesting to see how many individuals already moved away from those companies and their services.