What is Digg?14 Comments
- Christianptriot, on 12/31/2007, -1/+5Should not be a surprise at all to anyone who follows privacy issues and our Constitutional rights...all of which are under attack from the very people elected and sworn to protect and uphold them.
- PistolFred, on 12/31/2007, -1/+5Very interesting read. Note that Corey1982's description is a bit off where he says the US is "dead last among democratic countries". It's got a slightly better score than several developed countries (UK, Singapore, Taiwan, Russia and Malaysia). That said, the US does not fare well, of course. UK citizens should be appalled to even be in the same neighborhood as the US let alone "beat" it.
The key aspects for each country is very informative. It's mind blowing to see all the ways our privacy is breached all in one spot. It lists both positive and negative aspects. No country comes out clean. Favorite nuggets are:
US:
- Extensive data-sharing programs across federal government and with private sector
- World leading in border surveillance, mandating trans-border data flows
- Weak protections of financial and medical privacy; plans spread for 'rings of steel' around cities to monitor movements of individuals
- Democratic safeguards tend to be strong but new Congress and political dynamics show that immigration and terrorism continue to leave politicians scared and without principle
- Recent news regarding FBI biometric database raises particular concerns as this could lead to the largest database of biometrics around the world that is not protected by strong privacy law
Israel:
- DNA is taken from suspects, and is retained for 7 years if acquitted or 20 years if convicted; police have a target of 20,000 samples annually
- In 2007 Ben Gurion airport installed devices that permit seeing through travelers' clothes, with unclear privacy protections
Russia:
- Illegal collection of data is commonplace
- Used visa-regime to prevent election monitors from entering country in time for overseeing election - Herostratus, on 01/01/2008, -0/+2When the time comes remember how bad its gotten and how good it could be. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Do not hesitate to pick up arms because when it is too late you will wish you had. Remember the lessons of your ancestors. They were the ones who fought for our supposed freedom. Our generation will need to once more. For the freedoms of our descendants who will one day call upon the wisdom of their ancestors in defending their lost freedoms from an usurping tyrannical government. This is why we have the second amendment and to pretend otherwise is to be ignorant or treacherous to the American way.
And so on and so on. History repeats itself for those who do not know it to recognize it's patterns. Who knows their history today? Odds are, its not you reading this. - zoziw, on 01/01/2008, -0/+2This report just furthers the incorrect stereotype that nothing interesting happens in Canada, for example, right this very moment I am doing....er....well, nothing but I'm a bad example.
- inactive, on 01/01/2008, -0/+2This is the report: http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml? ...
It's pretty much a giant pile of guesses. I guess that if privacy was a measurable thing, it would probably make sense.
The ARS technica guy apparently did not read it. It's not about surveillance. Surveillance was just one of very many factors evaluated in the study. It's about privacy. Or, about the level of access the government has into the personnal lives of its citizens.
This includes file sharing, copyright laws, access to personal information (social security, for example), access to financial information (credit report, for example), property laws, constitutional clauses, interception of communications, disclosure to media, etc.
It doesn't take the number of people who's privacy has been violated.
America scores low because the system in place allows for the violation of privacy (espescially since Bush, patriot act alone is enough to earn you that grade). But that doesn't mean everybody's privacy is being violated or that everybody is under surveillance. It just means that the government could choose to do so.
So, this study is more about which government has the strongest privacy protection of its citizens. Not about surveillance or who is more "private". Some of these countries score higher than America and even Canada, but the police can come in your home and kill you and get away with it. They just have laws that are supposed to protect privacy. Doesn't mean they are enforced either, that was not taken into account.
Very incomplete, very few correct conclusions to be made from this. - inactive, on 01/01/2008, -0/+1Yeah - because we're China's bitch.
- crazybugger, on 01/01/2008, -0/+1All hail, the beacon of democracy!
- Archer007, on 01/01/2008, -0/+1Finally, the thumbnail preview works beautifully!
- carpespasm, on 01/01/2008, -0/+1I think so. I don't get the reference.
- DaDrake, on 01/01/2008, -2/+1This article is mostly hype and fear-mongering.
- CptBuck, on 01/01/2008, -3/+2This was JUST on the frontpage, like less than 24 hours ago. You've got to be kidding me.
- TheNorris, on 12/31/2007, -2/+1Flow, I Moan.
Need I say more? - Arkavus, on 01/01/2008, -2/+1Dupe. Was on the frontpage yesterday.
- Wosat, on 01/01/2008, -3/+1Any report that puts the US in the same category as China needs to be discounted.
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