Fighting For Privacy With Art and Words

HomeSkillet writes contributes this link to an interesting NYT feature on the recent works of privacy activist, wearables pioneer and artist Steve Mann. Mann has been mentioned here a few times before, but in light of current moves to scan, monitor and track your every move by subtle and unsubtle means, it's never been more relevant. Can anyone suggest a non-registration source for this story?

Comments

Re:Fighting for Privacy on the Internet.

[reflector]

But suspending the rights of people who aren't even Arabic,

While I agree with the rest of your post, don't make it into a racial issue. If you really believe in freedom, you believe in the freedom of all people, and that laws apply to all people equally. While today *some* Arabs may be our "enemies" (and Afgans aren't Arabs, BTW), yesterday Russians were the enemies and tomorrow it may be the Chinese.

The track records on terrorism of nations should be recognized, with regard to allowing entrance or immigration, but once here people need to be equal under the law.

Re: Fighting for Privacy on the Internet.

[Zeio]

I agree, the 'not even Arabic' thing in retrospect seemed exclusive of a group of people who in general I have no gripe with so long as they are law abiding.

I mentioned surgical / black ops, etc, because I know full well that the Afghans in general are not the problem here, its militant factions. Collateral damage towards the Afghan people is killing allies for all intents.

I am for middle ground solutions. Now, there would be a merit to temporarily instituting martial law, possibly interning a bunch of "suspects" and processing them quickly. The 48 hours the government has to hold people should be plenty. Extended internment, such as REX84/RX84, or the Japanese in WWII, was an interesting miscarriage of justice. If people who are not citizens or citizens who are interned on racial profiling, which, while wrong, has some merits, they must be handled quickly and if they are found to be innocent, they must be compensated.

Martial law and temporary internment are temporary. They may be wrong, annoying, or seem unfair. If a job NEEDS to get done, and mob rule must prevail, then lets be fair. On the other hand, horribly vague and far reaching legislation is more dangerous over the long term.

People want to do things right now without any ramifications. If law enforcement has to be "ugly," then it should be ugly in front of the public eye and subject to criticism. This highly furtive and secretive approach the government is taking internally with legislation and other such things make me more nervous than anything else.

Sorry for making it seem like Arabians were the exception. One of the guys at work is Turkish, and he is a good guy, and I had a Orthodox Egyptian roommate in college, and he was a good guy.

Thanks for the input.

- Z