REAL ID
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I wrote about Bruce Schneier a few days ago, the security expert that publishes a monthly Crypto-Gram newsletter always an interesting set of thoughts and essays. This months was somewhat focused on the world security situation, mostly the US.
The REAL ID, a national ID card item is mentioned along with the reasons why it's not a good idea. I tend to agree with this and I like his pointing out that despite the fact that Europe has one, they have much tighter framework for data privacy and restrictions on how it can be used. Allowing the data to move unchecked in the US, which it already has, is a bad idea. So many retail establishments already grab data from your license that it's no wonder that the credit agencies are a mess.
And after this weekend, I'd hope that Bush would veto the Act. In a report by the Onion, it seems that his identity was stolen!!!
Actually the Onion is a humorous paper, so it's not a real story. But I wish it was, maybe then the US President would start to take data privacy seriously and not just listen to the myriad of ways that corporations can make a buck off it.
One last note from the Crypto-Gram. It's extreme and not likely to happen in your data center, but this story shows some of the dangers of not using your security system.
Stop blocking open the door and keep it locked!
Steve Jones
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I read this fascinating book recently, called "The Transparent Society", but Davin Brin. This book deals with privacy in the modern age.
Brin's opinion on the matter is that technology is the driving force behind loss of privacy. Even in the absence of the Real-ID act, it's only inevitable that more and more information about is is being collected and used. Really, google and other portals are to blame for this; as they get better and better at collecting and correlating data.
Is this a bad thing? Really....is it? I mean; that's the whole idea for the internet, to be able to go and get information that you need. Basically, we want information to be public and easily found when the data assists us in some way, but we don't want it to be found when that same information hurts us.
You can't have your cake and eat it too, I say. And any attempts to limit the flow of information are stop-gap measures at best; one-sided at worse.
The only answer I can see is that we demand openness and accountability for everyone. This includes public officials and government, as well as private citizens. The time of "practical obscurity" is over; that's the whole point of the web. The only way we level the playing field is if the average citizen is as empowered by information as the gov and large corporations. If we're going to live in a glass house (and we are), we should at least make sure it's two way glass.
cl
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I don't know about that Calvin,
I am not a "public" person or company, I am a "private" citizen and as such I believe my private information should stay that way!! I also believe that "public" people have the right to keep their private life and information private.
Just my opinion,
Darrell
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I tend to agree that technology is exasterbating the problem. The big reason is that it makes it easier to collect more and more information at a greater level of detail. Check cards, computerized lists, etc are more readily available.
It's nothing new as in the 60s the Time Life lists were sold for huge amounts of money.
The biggest issue in the US is that the laws are behind the times and don't deal with the huge amount of information that is available as well as the willingness of firms to sell it. We've been approached here to sell our list for a good profit, but we've refused since we don't like that model. We do "rent" the list, but we get the content from the renter and do the sending ourselves so that your email isn't passed to anyone.
We do demand more openness in the US in some ways, but mostly I think it's the creativity of businesses and criminals that is abusing the information out there.
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This obviously isn't something with simple answers, DSP. Sure, you like your privacy. But what about when a convicted felon moves in next door? Do you support his right to privacy? What if he's a pedophile, or has a history of arson? Wouldn't you like to know? People tend to demand openness of others, but refuse to give the same.
You see what I'm saying? No easy answers. The book I was refering to is an excellent read; you should check it out if you find these topics at all interesting. It doesn't have a bunch of pat answers, but it does show some common fallacies that we fall into, and has some excellent suggestions about what we should be doing. And really, what the heck do we have to hide? Nobody throws stones when everyone's houses are glass.
As far as "private" information; most of it really isn't as private as you think (Steve, is your address "438 EMERSON ST"?; it's just that you need access to Lexis-Nexus or other expensive portals to get at it. This is a big problem! When the corps and gov can watch you, but you can't watch them...1984 all over again.
Take SSN. This "privacy" problem just shows that using SSN as a unique identifier is dumb..what kind of crypto-scheme is that, for God's sake!
Privacy can be defined as "the right to be let alone". Under that definition, the RealID act is not an invasion of privacy. I realize there are other ideas about what privacy is, though. Obviously some basic level of privacy must be maintained. Well, let's define what that is, and maintain it!
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