George Orwell was not far off, only about 20 years or so.
I recently read in this article that our government feels it necessary to peek into the databases of Google. That is not comforting.
The government says that it only wants to look for reasons of preventing child pornography. Now, I think I speak for many people when I say that if someone is using Google for the purpose of finding illegal child porno they deserve to be caught. Heck, the deserve to be caught no matter how they get it.
The government is smart in using this angle. That may be an honest and legitimate reason. Who would oppose catching those kind of people? The problem is, I, and the rest of the world, do not feel like having our collective pants pulled down around our ankles for the government to do that.
I have to give kudos to the Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. They are fighting this with all gusto. They have been subpoenaed, but have not cracked yet.
Technically, all Big Brother wants is to search queries and results. But how much of that is traceable? According to the article, about 30%. I bank online. If I had to do a search to find the right homepage, Google has that info. Other search engines will actually use Google and other search engines, so other sites might be compromised as well.
And what other kind of data might the government glean from this peak into the databases? I have a G-mail account. That's Google. All of my email and the email that you've sent me is on there, including your email address.
I use this site, Blogger, which is Google owned. Bloggers have profiles. There is more information we have on these than what is published.
What if you have Google Desktop? Is there anyway that some of that data links up with Google's servers at any time?
What about Google Earth and pictures of my house or location?
What about Google Talk with all of the online chatting that goes on?
For now, the government inquiry looks reasonable, but it's another brick in the wall that I don't want them building.
What's more scary, I found out in another article that America Online, Yahoo!, and Microsoft have already complied with Big Brother's similar requests.
Still think this is a non-issue? Have you ever used A-O-Hell, Yahoo Mail or any Windows operating system? If you are reading this the answer is yes.
How much of your privacy are you willing to sacrifice?
2 comments:
Our government is one of the most corrupt kleptocracies on the face of the planet. There are those who want nothing more then to control every aspect of your life from the cradle to the grave. There are those that are incensed that we have to audacity to want to keep all of what we earn and despise the methods they employ in collecting their revenue. We can look at most government programs, and determine that they are not merely failures, but abominations and blasphemies to our sacred freedom which slowly slipps away with every tax increas, with every new social program, and with every attempt go beyond passed limits for protecting national security. If you are not a libertarian, you had better take a close look at both parties and ask what is the difference? You will find, not much. Both parties, with their extremist factions, want nothing more then legislate away your rights garunteed by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
I hope Google fights this tooth and nail all they way up to the Supreme Court.
spooky isnt it. That was an interesting book wasnt it?
Laters
Post a Comment