K9s said:
This surveillance state means profits for the security industry. It won't stop unless the people decide privacy is important.
The Roman Senate had a very clear rule in 100 B.C. - The Senate was the supreme authority and no other rulers had more power than the Senate.
Then came a series of "crises" that caused them to adopt, for a short period, "Dictators" to guide them during a crisis. First was Cornelius Sulla, then Julias Caesar. After that, Rome converted from a Republic to an Empire and had Emperors for hundreds of years.
We are experiencing this now. IMO, the "Patriot Act" was a conversion event that migrates us to a permanent surveillance state. While I doubt our outward appearance of government will change as visibly as Rome's did, in many ways the changes will be as profound.
I believe that "crises" such as 9/11, mass shootings, the growth of China, 15 year wars (Afghanistan anyone) and particularly, cyber warfare, will cause a degradation of what we today call "freedoms".
There are really 3 kinds of freedoms:
Freedom of - usually beliefs, association (freedom of implies a slightly more passive state than "freedom to")
Freedom to - act, move about, speak, carry firearms, work, marry, etc.
Freedom from - surveillance, search and seizure, etc.
All of these freedoms are being eroded. And I am not a "freedoms" hot head - I am a disgusting pragmatist.
We are starting to see people "denounced" - and at first, it all looks like it is making society safer!!!! What a pleasure!!! What a relief!!! Vigilant neighbors, hurrah!!!
Maybe time to read up on
bocche dei leoni, "the lions' mouths" in Venice. Pretty soon, normal people will be "swatted" and found to have (shocking) "Arsenals in their homes".
What will it take? An anonymous complaint (watch for the anon hotlines to report 'dangerous' people). Will really dangerous people get outed? Yes, of course, just as the lion's mouth collected really info on real corruption. But innocent people will also be swept up - and as people see how effective it is, it will become a "normal" behavior against people with enemies (think divorce of course, and related hostilities).
I do not believe there is a remedy for this trend - I tend to think that just as we cannot uninvent the nuclear weapons, we cannot uninvent electronic surveillance.
In addition to reading up on
bocche dei leoni, maybe some cyber-punk science fiction is in order.
TrueTexan said:
How long before they are tapping into the Alexa Echos and listening to your conversations?
I mean no disrespect to anyone who has adopted these invasive technologies. I would urge people to simply disconnect listening devices. They are not safe and cannot be made safe unless unplugged and batteries removed.