I Dont Care About Privacy - I've got nothing to hide.

We love debunking propaganda. Its good for the soul. So with that said, we’ve decided to analyse a line from years gone by… “I don’t care about privacy. I’ve got nothing to hide”.

Despite much being lost to the passages of time, its believed that Nazi Propaganda Minister Joesph Goebbels used this line in relation to government backed surveillance prior to /during ww2. But the renowned American lawyer/judge Benjamin Cardozo also used a similar line in 1938, during the hearing of a government case.

In an era of web trackers, electronic fingerprinting and social media, the line has become a catch cry in terms of diminishing privacy and excusing surveillance, be it state based or as is often common these days, corporation based. However the foundations of privacy are critical for a functional and competent society. Why is this so??? Read on and you’ll find out.

You may have heard “if you haven’t paid, then you’re the product”. In the era of Apple, Google and Facebook this line seems to work well doesn’t it? However in our opinion, people quote these lines without fully understanding what they mean, and what we lose when we give this away. Lets turn to the electronic brain for a moment and see what it has to say about the place of privacy in a functional society.

INPUT: Why is the concept of privacy vital in a functional society, and what happens when you diminish that right?

OUTPUT: The concept of privacy is vital in a functional society because it provides individuals with a space where they can be free from intrusion, scrutiny, and interference by others, including the government. Privacy enables individuals to form and express their own opinions, beliefs, and identities without fear of judgement or retribution. It also allows for intimate and personal relationships to be established and maintained, which are essential to individual well-being and the functioning of families and communities.

When privacy rights are diminished, individuals may feel a sense of vulnerability and loss of control over their lives. They may feel hesitant to express their opinions, beliefs, and identities for fear of being judged or persecuted, which can lead to a chilling effect on free speech and individual creativity. The surveillance and monitoring of individuals can also lead to a lack of trust and suspicion within society, which can erode the foundations of social cohesion and lead to social unrest.

Furthermore, the diminishing of privacy rights can lead to abuses of power by governments and other entities. It can facilitate the creation of a surveillance state, where individuals are constantly monitored and controlled, which can be used to suppress dissent and enforce conformity to the government's wishes. It can also enable the collection and use of personal data for nefarious purposes, such as identity theft, blackmail, or discrimination.

In summary, privacy is vital in a functional society because it enables individuals to develop and express their own opinions and beliefs, form personal relationships, and protects them from intrusions and abuses of power. Diminishing privacy rights can have a chilling effect on free speech and creativity, erode social cohesion, and facilitate abuses of power.

Thanks GPT. So when we look at it like that, suddenly the privacy aspect of things seems a bit more important now, wouldn't you say???

Regardless of your perspective or beliefs, this is an issue that effects us all. Particularly those of us that may fit in to a minority group of some sort. Authoritarian governments the world over thrive on revoking rights via the slow creep, or “boiling the frog” method where slight, but continuous change is constantly eroding the right of both the individual, and society at large. Its up to us as both individuals and a society to stand firm on these rights, if not for our own sake then for the sake of society at large. If we don’t, what can we expect? Lets take a look.

1. China: The Chinese government has been criticised for its use of facial recognition technology and other forms of surveillance to monitor its citizens. The government has also implemented a social credit system that scores individuals based on their behaviour and activities, which can have consequences on their access to services and opportunities.

2.North Korea: The North Korean government heavily monitors its citizens, and citizens are mostly not allowed to access the internet or other forms of communication outside of the country. The government also collects personal information about its citizens, and the use of encryption technology is heavily restricted. Even Red Star Linux, the general PC operating system used by North Koreans has heavy anti privacy features “baked in” with media being watermarked, and back doors being put into the system at large. This allows the Government to track the production and copying of media, as well as using the back doors to “keep an eye” on the general activities of its user.

3. Russia: The Russian government has been accused of using surveillance and hacking techniques to interfere with elections in other countries. The government has also been known to target and harass individuals who are critical of the government or who speak out against its policies.

4.Iran: The Iranian government has a history of monitoring and censoring the internet and social media platforms. The government also collects personal information about its citizens, and there have been reports of individuals being arrested and tortured for expressing dissenting opinions. The people of Iran have decided they will not stand for this, and have spent a large chunk of 2023 deciding that this is an issue worth protesting for. These protests have led to many civilian deaths. What cost freedom?

5. Australia: Western countries are not immune to this. In 2015, the Australian Government under Liberal Prime minister Tony Abbot passed the metadata retention law, mandating the search and internet history of all Australians be kept for at least two years. This was followed up in 2018, by the Assistance and Access bill, allowing government agencies to capture, modify or even place data on the electronic devices of individuals with no warrant or oversight required. Whilst this was argued to be essential for Australia’s national security, the effect on trust was seen immediately, with many tech based companies opting to offshore or even close rather than build back doors into their products. Australia also has an unhealthy love affair with Facial Recognition and Surveillance technology, with this being used in airports and in major capital cities.

Whilst Facial Recognition has its usages (fast airport customs clearance anybody?), its hard to argue the impact that this one technology has on the reduction of individual rights, and we shudder to think of the damage that could be done with these capabilities if they are placed in the hands of an unscrupulous government.

So what can you, the individual do in regards to this??? Firstly, if you aren’t already then be attentive to these snippets as they are given out. Discuss it with others in your social circle, and analyse it from an alternate viewpoint. This may not affect you now, but will it in the future? Protest, if you feel the cause is worthy. However the best thing to do is be inquisitive. Tech can be a difficult concept to understand if you are lacking a tech inclined background, so in this instance relying on credible sources to have this broken down for you can often be a good thing. If you can’t grasp the complexities of something, chances are someone else can. So rely on these sources to be the “go between” in getting something that’s simply overwhelming broken down into manageable chunks that are easy to understand. However as always, credibility is important. Sensationalist pieces with little to no fact checking or that include ‘alternate facts’ should be disregarded. However sources that are concise, to the point and that are able to be peer reviewed are acceptable, and should be treated as such.

We’ve spoken about propaganda often before and touched on how bad actors weaponize the integrity of others to push their point of view in a subtle way that ends in division and resentment. The ‘Fire hose of Falsehood” is all too real, and these bad actors will use this method to drown out good, credible sources. Remember, two things in regards to this. A lie, can be easily spread in as it requires no credibility, no fact and can use emotion to play on people’s vulnerabilities. The saying “a lie travels half way round the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on” is sadly all too relevant here.

And lastly, don’t forget your humanity. Even the worst conspiracy theorist is still a member of our community, and still one of our fellow humans. Division hurts us all, and there’s no harm or shame in seeking to find a middle ground. Our children depend it.