Comments on: Amnesty International: Give Us More Money to Do Nothing http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/ The software industry from a rational perspective Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:10:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Maggie Knowles http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-294 Maggie Knowles Tue, 01 Aug 2006 03:11:47 +0000 http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-294 I agree, certain private entities are a huge problem, and they are the power behind the gov't. and that's why the gov't won't move on certain issues, like global warming. I heard on NPR that AT&T said that the data they turned over to the NSA didn't belong to the customers, it belonged to AT&T. Just like that. I remember a few years ago hearing about a customer suing a grocery store and the grocery store using the customer's data in an attempt to show the customer was an alcoholic, to discredit them. And wasn't there also something about insurance companies wanting access to the data so they wouldn't have to provide health insurance to people who didn't eat right? Didn't we used to have laws that protected our data? I agree, certain private entities are a huge problem, and they are the power behind the gov’t. and that’s why the gov’t won’t move on certain issues, like global warming. I heard on NPR that AT&T said that the data they turned over to the NSA didn’t belong to the customers, it belonged to AT&T. Just like that.

I remember a few years ago hearing about a customer suing a grocery store and the grocery store using the customer’s data in an attempt to show the customer was an alcoholic, to discredit them. And wasn’t there also something about insurance companies wanting access to the data so they wouldn’t have to provide health insurance to people who didn’t eat right?

Didn’t we used to have laws that protected our data?

]]> By: allenjs http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-283 allenjs Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:30:32 +0000 http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-283 Yes, I understand the issue. My point is that people are focusing on the wrong thing when they complain about NSA using the information to find terrorists. The U.S. government is bound by transparency laws, FOIA, and so on -- if the government is going to break all of its own rules by tracking political opponents, the fact that the data resides in Safeway's database and not federal government is not going to stop them. That is, it would be illegal and an abuse regardless. Interfering with legitimate anti-terror activities does absolutely nothing to protect you. Furthermore, private corporations are not bound by FOIA or many of the transparency requirements of U.S. government. So, if you want the data to be kept somewhere where it is safe from corrupt government officials, other governments, and so on -- you don't want it in a private company's database. If you truly want to be safe, you would push for legislation making it illegal for Safeway to hold this personal data; push for legislations to make all private companies adhere to the same transparency and privacy regulations as the government does. Then you would mandate that private companies institute the same anti-hacker and data protection policies of U.S. government. Finally; that still wouldn't be quite as good as letting the government host the data; because the U.S. government has thousands of watchdog groups and media watching like a hawk to alert the public in case of any screwups. But the personal data about you that is owned by 1000 private entities has no such oversight. When it leaks to corrupt FBI officials or foreign governments, the companies generally cover things up, and nobody finds out. I agree it's a huge problem -- but the U.S. government is the least of your problems. Letting private entities host richer personal data about you than the government just means that you have little to no oversight, and no recourse when the information is abused (by government or anyone else). Yes, I understand the issue. My point is that people are focusing on the wrong thing when they complain about NSA using the information to find terrorists. The U.S. government is bound by transparency laws, FOIA, and so on — if the government is going to break all of its own rules by tracking political opponents, the fact that the data resides in Safeway’s database and not federal government is not going to stop them. That is, it would be illegal and an abuse regardless. Interfering with legitimate anti-terror activities does absolutely nothing to protect you. Furthermore, private corporations are not bound by FOIA or many of the transparency requirements of U.S. government. So, if you want the data to be kept somewhere where it is safe from corrupt government officials, other governments, and so on — you don’t want it in a private company’s database. If you truly want to be safe, you would push for legislation making it illegal for Safeway to hold this personal data; push for legislations to make all private companies adhere to the same transparency and privacy regulations as the government does. Then you would mandate that private companies institute the same anti-hacker and data protection policies of U.S. government. Finally; that still wouldn’t be quite as good as letting the government host the data; because the U.S. government has thousands of watchdog groups and media watching like a hawk to alert the public in case of any screwups. But the personal data about you that is owned by 1000 private entities has no such oversight. When it leaks to corrupt FBI officials or foreign governments, the companies generally cover things up, and nobody finds out.

I agree it’s a huge problem — but the U.S. government is the least of your problems. Letting private entities host richer personal data about you than the government just means that you have little to no oversight, and no recourse when the information is abused (by government or anyone else).

]]> By: Maggie Knowles http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-280 Maggie Knowles Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:41:29 +0000 http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-280 I am more concerned about the government using records to build a case against me (or not award a contract to me, etc.) because I didn't vote for the party in power, or I assembled to protest a gov't policy or action or something like that. I am more concerned about the government using records to build a case against me (or not award a contract to me, etc.) because I didn’t vote for the party in power, or I assembled to protest a gov’t policy or action or something like that.

]]> By: allenjs http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-274 allenjs Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:09:57 +0000 http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-274 Maggie, What I find interesting is that most Americans have no problem with Safeway knowing EVERYTHING about what they buy, but freak out if the government wants to use this information to catch terrorists. As long as the information is only available to hackers, bad employees, stalkers, and foreign and domestic "commercial partners" of Safeway, it's cool. Oh -- I get it; the U.S. government wanted it for FREE, those thieving crooks! If they set up a shell company and buy the same info from AT&T, it's cool, right? I mean, that's how foreign governments do it, and nobody complains. Maggie,

What I find interesting is that most Americans have no problem with Safeway knowing EVERYTHING about what they buy, but freak out if the government wants to use this information to catch terrorists. As long as the information is only available to hackers, bad employees, stalkers, and foreign and domestic “commercial partners” of Safeway, it’s cool. Oh — I get it; the U.S. government wanted it for FREE, those thieving crooks! If they set up a shell company and buy the same info from AT&T, it’s cool, right? I mean, that’s how foreign governments do it, and nobody complains.

]]> By: Maggie Knowles http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-230 Maggie Knowles Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:40:33 +0000 http://www.netcrucible.com/blog/2006/07/20/amnesty-international-give-us-more-money-to-do-nothing/#comment-230 As long as Google and other American companies don't get the idea that they can do it in America too.... Oh, that's right, AT&T already did! Remember, AT&T Delivers You Straight To The NSA! Thanks for the opportunity for repeating this and reminding people that we may have free speech, but we're losing our rights to privacy. As long as Google and other American companies don’t get the idea that they can do it in America too…. Oh, that’s right, AT&T already did!

Remember, AT&T Delivers You Straight To The NSA!

Thanks for the opportunity for repeating this and reminding people that we may have free speech, but we’re losing our rights to privacy.

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