Complacency

[Gordon Mohr]

Jeff Bone writes:
> Sometimes the complacency of the average man scares the shit out of
> me:
> 
>     http://www.cnn.com/POLL/results/1586541.content.html
> 

I think the use of cheap cameras and recognition technology to
reduce crime in public places is a net positive, for safety and
liberty.

What abuses do you fear?

Are you arguing for voluntarily relinquishment of technologies
which might be used for illegimate purposes? Do you really
think bad people will choose not to use these technologies in
secret?

I tend to agree with author David Brin on these issues. From a
summary of his argument at... 

http://www.thuntek.net/~lasmith/books/brin.htm#transparent

   [Brin's book] The Transparent Society is a call for "reciprocal 
   transparency," If police cameras watch us, shouldn't we be able 
   to tune into police stations? If credit bureaus sell our data, 
   shouldn't we know who buys it? Rather than cling to an illusion 
   of anonymity - a historical anomaly, given our origins in 
   close-knit villages - we should focus on guarding the most 
   important forms of privacy and preserving mutual accountability. 
   The biggest threat to our freedom, Brin warns, is that surveillance 
   technology will be used by too few people, not by too many.

So perhaps you should try to chartiably view those poll numbers as 
the wisdom of the average man.

- Gordon

____________________________ 
Gordon Mohr - gojomo@usa.net 
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