Bob, I'm not the expert on internet rules and regulations by any means... but... I think this situation is a bit different. In particular, hasn't it always been the case that most everything you do on the web is, in some important sense, public. You have an IP number, you go through shared servers that connect the url you enter with another specific computer, you use shared wires, shared protocols, etc. Unless you are direct-connecting to a specific IP address with a secure line, you are probably interacting in an easily intercept-able way. As I understand it, using the internet is much the same as conversing in a public square - sure, most people don't care what you are saying, and have no interest in ease-dropping, but it would not be very hard for a stranger to ease drop if they wanted to.
All that has changed, is that some large and powerful entity has announced, openly, that it will begin listening to what people say in the public square. That is, nothing about the square has changed, and people may still use it as they see fit, but there is a higher probability that someone is listening as they walk by. What is there to resist? What would such resistance accomplish? Your options are to not care and go about your business as before, to learn to talk in some sophisticated code, or to stop using the square. What else is there? Eric On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 01:36 PM, Robert Lancaster <[email protected]> wrote: > >>I need to inject a strenuous objection to the response "get used to it." which affects me much like the supposed red >> > >>flag and the bull. I will stipulate the enormous odds that face whoever will refuse to "get used to it," but we had >> > >> better remember that just about anyone who has refused to "get used to" hundreds or thousands of hopeless >> > >> situations throughout most of human history has faced impossible odds except that in quite a few cases they >> > >> turned out not to be impossible. Yes. this is a tough one. They have all been tough. The truly hopeless response, >> > >>however, is only surrender. II'll stick with Churchill…Never give in, Never give in Never never never NEVER. >> > >>Losing the fight is only defeat. Get used to it is surrender. >> > >>Bob Lancaster >> > >> >>On Apr 2, 2012, at 10:11 AM, Nicholas Thompson wrote: > >> >> >>Thank you doug, for your wisdom AND for your mercy. Nick > > >> > > >> >From: <> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Douglas Roberts >Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 10:02 AM >To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group >Subject: Re: [FRIAM] online privacy (again) > > > >> > > >>Some forms of ignorance and/or stupidity are worthy, nay, richly deserving of contempt. And disparagement. We have, IMO, a societal obligation to push back against stupidity, and arrogance, and studied ignorance. > > > >>> > > >>>But not on this topic. Times are a changin'. Personal privacy no longer exists if you use internet technologies to communicate, or browse for information, or to share pictures of your kitties. Or look up bomb recipes. If you're going to do something online that could come back to bite you, you'd better become a top-notch expert on anonymizing technologies and methodology and practices. > > > >>> > > >>>Get used to it, it is the way it is. > > > >>> > > >> > > >--Doug > > > > >> >>On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Nicholas Thompson <<>> wrote: > > > >>> >>Hi, everybody, > > > >> > > > >>Did you see this odd, avuncular op-ed from the Federal Trade Commission? > > > >> > > > >>I don’t know whether it reassured me more than it scared the living bejeesus out of me. “Big-Brother’s Big Brother is looking out for you.” > > > >> > > > >>I take it back about contempt: If one of you would like to write me an email, right now, which begins, “Nick, you miserable, feckless, idiot: go immediately to your browser properties, google profile, registry, WHATEVER, and do the following N things. And tell everybody in your family to do the same.” , I would give you a totally free pass on the contempt thing. And be grateful for it. > > > >> > > > >>Nick > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >>Nicholas S. Thompson > > > >>Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology > > > >>Clark University > > > >> ><http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/> > > > >> ><http://www.cusf.org/> > > > >> > > > >> > > > > >> > >============================================================ >FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at <http://www.friam.org> > > > > >> > > > > > > >>> > > >>-- >Doug Roberts ><> ><> > > > >>> ><http://parrot-farm.net/Second-Cousins> > > > >>> > >505-455-7333 - Office >505-670-8195 - Cell > > > >> > > > >============================================================ >FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at <http://www.friam.org> > > > > ============================================================ >FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > Eric Charles Professional Student and Assistant Professor of Psychology Penn State University Altoona, PA 16601
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