Privacy and the Internet

In response to the whole hullaballoo about the NSA data mining operation, I wanted to throw my 2-cents in the debate.  I know that some of my more liberal minded friends might disagree, but I believe that Edward Snowden should be arrested and prosecuted for divulging classified information.  It’s very simple really, he leaked information that was classified and that is punishable under our existing laws.

Now, let’s delve into what was leaked.  The government is using ‘big data’ obtained from internet providers and phone companies (the line is very blurry there) to conduct meta-analysis and look for trends and indicators.  Think an attempt at Psychohistory from the Foundation novels of Asimov, or the big computer in the TV show Person of Interest.  Is mining of that type of data wrong for a government to do?

My answer may surprise some.  I would say no.  First of all, the data in question is data that has been released to the ‘verse from the individual.  In other words:  “From here to the eyes and the ears of the 'Verse, that's my motto, or it might be if I start having a motto.”

In other other words.. should we have any expectation of privacy once we release something to the internet?  I would say no.  Once we post on a message board, send an eMail, or update our Facebook status, we should have no expectation that information isn’t available to the ‘verse as a whole. 

“There is no news. There is only the truth of the signal. What I see. And, there's the puppet theater the Parliament jesters foist on the somnambulant public.”

We have a flawed system of government, but one that is based on some checks and balances.  We need to abide by the laws around secrecy and confidentiality and then work on our leaders to enact better means for us to protect and restrict access to the data that they have access to.  However, don’t ever think that you have privacy in this world when you access the internet and place a camera on your life with Facebook and other social media.  Don’t canonize a traitor for breaking the law and exposing something that’s been evident since well before 2001.