Anyone posting different now that even less is private?

Everybody has the option of keeping their private life private but there IS a trade off most people don't want to make. I expect the inside of my home to remain private... which makes me luckier than a homeless person or a prisoner. I don't expect much privacy anywhere else other than a lockable restroom.

So it seems this is being taken as a stupid question....unfortunate that all kinds of ignorant people think that everyone knows what they know. I thought when I called my wife last month from the road that the content of the conversation was private, most people in the US did until even just a few days ago, well after snowden leaked. But in just a few days, even the content of calls is simply acceptable. What is not acceptable to you, is there something that is not ok to pry into in your life?

Just so we are all on the same page, you guys also consider anything said near a cell phone or computer or done in front of the screen fair game, because it seems like the threshold is that if it is possible with technology, we should assume it is being done and accept it.

Perhaps I can ask another question, what do you consider private today that would frustrate you if taken tomorrow? Unlike most, I am not happy or accepting that I cannot talk to my wife in private while I am not with her, I wish someone in the market would provide a way for me to talk to loved ones in private from a distance and perhaps secure that with some legislation and consequences to those that violate it.

Where is your line, do you have one? Is it ok for the govt to turn on any computer camera, phone camera or mic?

Loved ones would then get a new definition to be used to prevent consequences for law breaking law makers.

on that note wrote: So it seems this is being taken as a stupid question....unfortunate that all kinds of ignorant people think that everyone knows what they know.

Who's more ignorant... The people that know the internet is millions of computers hooked together sharing information or the people that don't?

Who's more ignorant... the people that know cell phones use radio, and that radio is not a destination specific transmission mode, or the people that don't?

Who's more ignorant... people that don't know if their cell phone is really off when they hit that power button, or the people that know how standby mode really works?

I try to know about the technology that I use before I use it. That way I know it's limitations. I got a giggle out of the people that were shocked by neighbors listening to the phone calls on early wireless phones just by using a baby monitor. It's the same idea today, but the baby monitors have gotten considerably more complex.

I don't have cameras on most of my computers, nor do I have microphones. I do have them on one that's used for video conferencing. It's off most of the time. When it's used for other purposes, I usually unplug the camera and mike.

I have a dumb cell phone. I like it that way. No, I can't send a drunken picture of my latest debauchery to my entire facebook friends list - I'm good with not being able to do that. It wouldn't be that bad anyway, as my facebook profile is blank, and I only have two facebook 'friends'.

I look up the places I need to go before I start on a trip, so the navigation on a phone is pretty much redundant. Don't need that either.

I carry a nice camera for when I want pictures of something. I don't need to have it in my phone.

Basically, I push the technology as far I find comfortable. Here's something to consider... If the government in all it's ineptitude is able to listen to your calls and know where you are at all times, just imagine what a hacker that's in it just for profit could find out about you. I knew that someone was compiling lists of all the cell phone calls made - hell, I helped write the software that saves that info off for the old Qwest Wireless. MCI used to save long distance call records for marketing analysis, and they were looking into reciprocal agreements with the other carriers.

Business driven databases put the NSA to shame. The NSA is just aggregating some of the most basic information from all the carriers. Why do you think that information is available to the NSA? Because the companies have been storing the data for years, that's why. The NSA is just a conglomerating what's already (and has been for years) stored in other places by private companies.

It's the digital age. You're being watched. Deal with it, or go live in a cave. It's not a matter of whether it's right or not, it's just the nature of the technology.

One other ting to remember - we're talking about a considerably large amount of data here. Anyone wanting to take the time to sift through all that data for the stuff that applies to you is looking at investing the cost and effort - which is not a small investment. You're one of billions of people being tracked. Take comfort in the fact that you are just a bunch of ones and zeros in the digital world until you do something to draw attention to yourself.

Nobody that matters wrote:

on that note wrote: So it seems this is being taken as a stupid question....unfortunate that all kinds of ignorant people think that everyone knows what they know.

Who's more ignorant... The people that know the internet is millions of computers hooked together sharing information or the people that don't?

Who's more ignorant... the people that know cell phones use radio, and that radio is not a destination specific transmission mode, or the people that don't?

Who's more ignorant... people that don't know if their cell phone is really off when they hit that power button, or the people that know how standby mode really works?

I try to know about the technology that I use before I use it. That way I know it's limitations. I got a giggle out of the people that were shocked by neighbors listening to the phone calls on early wireless phones just by using a baby monitor. It's the same idea today, but the baby monitors have gotten considerably more complex.

I don't have cameras on most of my computers, nor do I have microphones. I do have them on one that's used for video conferencing. It's off most of the time. When it's used for other purposes, I usually unplug the camera and mike.

I have a dumb cell phone. I like it that way. No, I can't send a drunken picture of my latest debauchery to my entire facebook friends list - I'm good with not being able to do that. It wouldn't be that bad anyway, as my facebook profile is blank, and I only have two facebook 'friends'.

I look up the places I need to go before I start on a trip, so the navigation on a phone is pretty much redundant. Don't need that either.

I carry a nice camera for when I want pictures of something. I don't need to have it in my phone.

Basically, I push the technology as far I find comfortable. Here's something to consider... If the government in all it's ineptitude is able to listen to your calls and know where you are at all times, just imagine what a hacker that's in it just for profit could find out about you. I knew that someone was compiling lists of all the cell phone calls made - hell, I helped write the software that saves that info off for the old Qwest Wireless. MCI used to save long distance call records for marketing analysis, and they were looking into reciprocal agreements with the other carriers.

Business driven databases put the NSA to shame. The NSA is just aggregating some of the most basic information from all the carriers. Why do you think that information is available to the NSA? Because the companies have been storing the data for years, that's why. The NSA is just a conglomerating what's already (and has been for years) stored in other places by private companies.

It's the digital age. You're being watched. Deal with it, or go live in a cave. It's not a matter of whether it's right or not, it's just the nature of the technology.

One other ting to remember - we're talking about a considerably large amount of data here. Anyone wanting to take the time to sift through all that data for the stuff that applies to you is looking at investing the cost and effort - which is not a small investment. You're one of billions of people being tracked. Take comfort in the fact that you are just a bunch of ones and zeros in the digital world until you do something to draw attention to yourself .

Like join or start a group that has constitution, etc. in it's name? I am ok with target marketing. I am a hard sell. I am not ok with compulsion. What if P&G could fine me for buying Safeway toothpaste because it does not have a high enough % of fluoride.

on that note wrote: So it seems this is being taken as a stupid question....

Well since it's been happening for at least 10 years now, yes, it's a stupid question to ask today.


NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
5/11/2006 10:38 AM ET
http://yahoo.usatoday.com/news/washingt ... -nsa_x.htm

Panel blocks Dems' attempts to rein in Bush wiretapping program
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/was ... ings_x.htm
Sep 13, 2006

So how about the most critical question, and I am not sure why people gloss right over it when it matters so much more than telling me I am stupid for expecting privacy or laws that may protect it.....

WHAT IS OVER YOUR LINE, IN STEAD OF ME BEING STUPID AND POINTING THAT OUT, WHAT TYPE OF MONITORING OF YOUR LIFE IS OVER THE LINE BY THE GOVT, DO YOU HAVE A LINE?

I put it in caps so people would focus on this question in stead of insults, this question is the policy question that people seem to be avoiding....almost like folks are afraid that if they said that something should be private, it may be held against them? Or if they say something should be private today, that they may look stupid for being wrong when it is shown in 2 weeks that such things are not private.

I think only two people have mentioned things, one person said that the inside of their home should be private and another said when he is in the bathroom and it is locked. Are these the only two places that should be private...do others agree they should be? I feel this is the discussion that we need to have. And such a discussion is only relevant if you think your privacy is subject to the will of the people and not simply a liberty, which should not be subject to the will of the people.

It seems we constantly decide the standards after they have been psuedobroken, why not come up with a long standing standard for this now and have consequences for when it is broken, I am talking about a standard we know about in advance, not one that is told to us by a traitor, one that is debated and decided by the people, not just their "representatives"

Though I will admit, from your responses, it is helpful to know how low peoples standards of privacy are. I know most of you would change your tune if I did use a baby monitor and a hacker and posted the transcripts of a weeks worth of your cell phone calls and listed the websites you visits and searches you did here. I guess if one of your balls was hurting and you were trying to understand why, you would have no issues with everyone in the community knowing? Remember, once you justify it is not private and you have no control over the data, there is no limit (remember euro vacation and that billboard).

For all the things that people argue all the time we need laws for, many things you cannot even regulate, people have no desire to put some reasonable restrictions on loss of privacy, most seem to really not care and I am honestly surprised. The concept of it being too expensive to mine that data to find things is cute from my perspective. That is like someone in 2001 saying it is too expensive to store this data. Today, my understanding is that they can store the full content of all phone conversations in the US for 11 cents a citizen.

It seems that on so many other subjects the topic is that we are a land of laws and these are the laws, for this topic it seems that people wear the hat of anything goes, anything that is possible is ok. Why the application of anarchy when it comes to data and law (not rule of law, but law) when it comes to employment, etc? Where are the people that want to regulate everything on this issue?

Also, "this" has not been happening for 10 years now, "this" is the process of us knowing that we are being monitored on this level, not just suspecting it and not debating it. "This" has been going on for a matter of days and it was decided without our input. It took a traitor to this country to inform you. On Saturday of last week, most people did not think the content of their calls was being data logged by the fed, they were arguing it was only metadata and they (the citizens) were busy justifying how ok that was because it WAS NOT the content of the phone calls. Last Saturday was not 10 years ago.

on that note wrote: WHAT IS OVER YOUR LINE, IN STEAD OF ME BEING STUPID AND POINTING THAT OUT, WHAT TYPE OF MONITORING OF YOUR LIFE IS OVER THE LINE BY THE GOVT, DO YOU HAVE A LINE?

My line was crossed long ago. None of my conversations should be monitored in any way unless I'm currently under investigation for a crime. I don't like the data collection being done by private companies for marketing purposes. I don't think that my browsing history should be stored anywhere.

I also realize that it doesn't matter where my line is, and discussion of laws to forbid data collection are a moot point. The time to talk about privacy is when the technology is introduced... For instance, Google Glass is not welcome on my property. Turning them off is not good enough - they cannot enter my house.

The line was crossed with the Patriot Act. Snowden revealed nothing new. He only condensed news information that has been revealed over the past decade.

Emails are sniffed. Phone calls are recorded. Website visits are traced.

Only the paranoid knew this before Snowden spoke? No, only the informed knew this. Only the uninformed citizen did not know this and were blissfully ignorant.

It all comes down to how much you trust your government and all the individual people that make it up. Whether they be contractors or straight up career government employees, there are way too many people who have access to your information and communications. There is no reason to believe that THESE people are any different than every other flawed and sometimes criminal Americans. Your privacy is your own responsibility these days... you either accept that and be careful with what you do and say, or you find a way to live off the grid.

I wish this wasn't the case, it's not what the founders intended (or could have envisioned)... only people who really trust the government (or are clueless of the problem) will be able to feel like their lives are truely private. I will never be one of those people.