I think surveillance and piracy have a lot in common. They are both technological phenomenons at core. Morality, laws and norms come into play, but they are sec

I think surveillance and piracy have a lot in common. They are both technological phenomenons at core. Morality, laws and norms come into play, but they are secondary. Data being recorded and stored forever is the default way our technology works just like making digital copies is the default way technology works. The level of political & moral intervention required to make any impact on whatever the future holds for surveillance is massive. I'm not pessimistic, but I am scared/worried. I think avoiding the "natural" progression towards more surveillance will require as much political force as is/was needed to go from non democratic to democratic. To use a slightly dated and naive term: free societies. It's a big task. I'm not American & US politics dominates on HN (and everywhere else). But, I am looking to Americans to make a stand on this and draw a line in the sand. The US has a liberalism deeply embedded in its political identity. It was there when homesteads could be claimed based on improving land and it exists today (often in slightly lunatic forms) in many ways. It's harder to get American to accept speed cameras and inner city police cameras than Europeans. I hope and think they have it in them. Come on Americans!