6 ms·

If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about.

symfrog 12y ago
I have seen this sentiment posted often when privacy concerns are raised. It implies a deeply flawed notion that as long as you don't have anything to hide then the privacy violations are not of concern. In reality the systematic break down of privacy and systematic increase of power to those who are committing them eventually leads to oppression and near total control. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/stasi-files-revisited-the-banalities-and-betrayals-of-life-in-east-germany-a-659708.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/stasi-files-revi...
SeanDav 12y ago
This is naive in the extreme. Your online opinions and other data are potentially stored forever and trivially accessible to anyone. Have you ever expressed an opinion about politics, religion, terrorism, abortion or anything potentially divisive? Well in 10 years time the laws could have changed and those legal, innocent remarks you made 10 years ago could potentially land you in a lot of trouble. What is legal and normal now may be illegal and dangerous later and the then government could go back and look for "troublemakers" by examining old data to check for subversive comments. Good luck explaining your comments from 15 years ago when you get dragged off to a secret court for "terrorist" behaviour based on comments and opinions of many years ago. What about supposedly innocent tracking data. Suppose you had to visit the dentist several times in quick succession and suppose your dentist office was located very near to a known terrorist cell. Now you are in a database of people to watch. Several years later you have to make repeat visits to some other location which by sheer coincidence is near another terrorist cell. You are now a hot hit and this triggers a series of events starting with the IRS doing a full audit on you and your friends /family potentially followed by much worse. This is not science fiction but easily plausible. The more data you have, the easier it is to establish causal relationships which are not real, but could have real consequences when some government or other organization takes an interest in you.
atmosx 12y ago
I guess you leave the door open when you go to the toilet, because after all, you have nothing to hide.
- inportb 12y ago
  I can appreciate your point, but this is a poor analogy. There are people who do exactly that which you find objectionable, and cultures in which it is perfectly acceptable.
- azunds 12y ago
  Haven't you heard of Russian toilets? http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/02/article-2550427-1B25997500000578-502_634x445.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/02/article-2550427-1B...
jodrellblank 12y ago
May I have your Amazon, and Paypal login usernames and passwords, please? Unless you've got something to hide that you're worried about...? Clearly, hiding anything is evil and people hiding anything are isomorphic with terrorists. :|

I have seen this sentiment posted often when privacy concerns are raised. It implies a deeply flawed notion that as long as you don't have anything to hide then the privacy violations are not of concern. In reality the systematic break down of privacy and systematic increase of power to those who are committing them eventually leads to oppression and near total control. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/stasi-files-revisited-the-banalities-and-betrayals-of-life-in-east-germany-a-659708.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/stasi-files-revi...

SeanDav 12y ago

This is naive in the extreme. Your online opinions and other data are potentially stored forever and trivially accessible to anyone. Have you ever expressed an opinion about politics, religion, terrorism, abortion or anything potentially divisive? Well in 10 years time the laws could have changed and those legal, innocent remarks you made 10 years ago could potentially land you in a lot of trouble. What is legal and normal now may be illegal and dangerous later and the then government could go back and look for "troublemakers" by examining old data to check for subversive comments. Good luck explaining your comments from 15 years ago when you get dragged off to a secret court for "terrorist" behaviour based on comments and opinions of many years ago. What about supposedly innocent tracking data. Suppose you had to visit the dentist several times in quick succession and suppose your dentist office was located very near to a known terrorist cell. Now you are in a database of people to watch. Several years later you have to make repeat visits to some other location which by sheer coincidence is near another terrorist cell. You are now a hot hit and this triggers a series of events starting with the IRS doing a full audit on you and your friends /family potentially followed by much worse. This is not science fiction but easily plausible. The more data you have, the easier it is to establish causal relationships which are not real, but could have real consequences when some government or other organization takes an interest in you.

atmosx 12y ago

I guess you leave the door open when you go to the toilet, because after all, you have nothing to hide.

inportb 12y ago
I can appreciate your point, but this is a poor analogy. There are people who do exactly that which you find objectionable, and cultures in which it is perfectly acceptable.
azunds 12y ago
Haven't you heard of Russian toilets? http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/02/article-2550427-1B25997500000578-502_634x445.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/02/article-2550427-1B...

jodrellblank 12y ago

May I have your Amazon, and Paypal login usernames and passwords, please? Unless you've got something to hide that you're worried about...? Clearly, hiding anything is evil and people hiding anything are isomorphic with terrorists. :|