Quoted from The Verge
Comments:
JohannesZ
(…)But why on earth are we discussing their design here?
Engadget’s top comment:
Everyone is focused on the NSA’s access to our individual private data yet it is their access to wholesale fire hose data from the entire Internet that is the real threat. With that data they can use computers and algorithms to detect “odd” information and flag that to permanent storage. Your text to your wife about what to buy at the store won’t be collected but if you happen to express a political opinion on the use of weaponized drones, your message may live forever in some database and be part of your personal file at the NSA. If you say enough interesting things, you will eventually get flagged as a person of interest.
Suddenly travel will become difficult. At airports you will be taken aside for a more extensive search and any data you have with you will be copied and examined. People will learn pretty quick what they should and should not discuss and we are all facing a totalitarian government with absolute control on speech.
They will always know your face, your location, who your contacts are, what you have been talking about recently, what your political leanings are and what your personal weaknesses are. You can now be manipulated in subtle or more direct ways. Digital advertising can be tuned just for you. Your access to government services can be restricted. Your taxes can get audited.
This is the scary world we are facing in the near future if we don’t apply some controls to the NSA’s power right now.
on The Guardian: NSA’s XKeyscore tool is its ‘widest reaching’ system for collecting online data
Posted on Jul 31, 2013 | 3:36 PM Reply
Malkmus
Speculation about how the law may change in the future has no bearing on what we actually know is happening and how the laws are enforced currently. This type of speculation where you imagine the worst case abuse of the system is simply fear mongering. Currently, none of what you listed is being done. They aren’t limited by technology to do those things so why is it something we need to worry about in the future?
Posted on Jul 31, 2013 | 4:20 PM Reply
TheOtherTurnipTaliban
I just thought I’d drop by to say how totally right you are Malkmus.
Just because the government is spying on everyone today doesn’t mean we gonna have problems tomorrow.
I mean we might, but nah screw it we probably won’t.
Nothing to hide nothing to fear right guys.
In fact I kind of get off on the fact that I’m being watched all the time.
Pretty much the opposite of all the douchebagswho say “when people are being watched they start to watch what they say and it messes with free speech” and all that jazz.
I don’t care bout free speech or privacy or whatever y’all who scared about the guvernment just a bunch of jackoff scaredy cats.
In fact i probably would vote for more of it when i get the chance.
Anyway bro, malkmus ur right. If we can get microphones and cameras in peoples homes in the next few years
just think how many abused kids we can save –
the only people who don’t want that are BY VERY DEFINITION probably a bunch of pervert child molesters.
