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IMHO this has a very direct impact on many internet start up (and not start up) businesses, as well as touches on the very important subject of legality and eth

IMHO this has a very direct impact on many internet start up (and not start up) businesses, as well as touches on the very important subject of legality and ethics of data collection and privacy by government as well as businesses.

randomname2 11y ago
Not only that, but HN will also usually post the very best possible links to big news stories that affect the HN audience as they break, which is a great feature of this website. Whlie this may not be a huge story, it will likely be the talk of the day tomorrow.
GlickWick 11y ago
The Patriot Act (and policy in general) can have a serious impact on software companies for sure. However, this is a politically charged thread clearly aimed at drawing interest/support for an individual candidate. This is not supposed to be permitted on HN. A thread discussing the potential issues caused by the Patriot Act is much more suitable for the front page than this.
- remarkEon 11y ago
  Is that not what Paul is discussing on the floor? I mean, he's discussing the consequences of building backdoors right now. It would be wise, I believe, if a discussion here on HN about this were to be informed by what the actual policy makers are saying/thinking.
- SCHiM 11y ago
  Well it _is_ Rand Paul on the floor, how else would you like to phrase it? I've got no political interest in this either way, since I'm not American. So consider it an outsiders view when I say that I think it's not unreasonable to mention the person who's taking the action.