Big Brother
62 years ago, a book was written that, even if you haven't read it, you've certainly heard of it, or at least you've heard the phrases that became common in our everyday language since the publishing of the book. Does 'Big Brother' ring any bells with you?
Written in 1948, George Orwell's "1984" has become a classic read, still mandatory in many classrooms. In the book, we learn of the horrifying consequences of losing our freedom to the need for a safe and peaceful society. The people are convinced that their loss of freedom is a small price to pay for the greater good.
Today, I thought of this book and it's message, when I heard on the news that the FBI is once again pushing for the ISPs to keep logs of their users 'origin and destination information for non-content data' for at least two years. Presumably to be used in aprehending child pornographers, terrorists and other persons involved in illegal activities.
In other words, for our own good.
While at first glance, this and other policies such as:
wire tapping landlines and cell phones, video surveillance and cameras almost everywhere we go, airport body scanners, gun control, the 2005 FCC requirement that all cell phone carriers are required to provide the ability to trace cell phone calls to within 300 feet, etc.,
all sound like reasonable precautions,
I can't help but wonder at how these things could conceivably be put to use at some later date.
Not to mention the fact that the government, as well as private entities, haven't always been effective in protecting our private data, and that storing and maintaining this data will be expensive for the ISPs. I wonder who will have to pick up that tab? The FBI? Uh huh. Right.
Much of what Orwell wrote about in 1948 as fiction, is the reality of our world today.
Where do we draw the line between ensuring our collective safety,
and preserving our right to privacy?
I don't have the answers, I'm just asking questions.
We should all be asking questions.
Shouldn't we?
In "1984", George Orwell wrote,
“The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth.”
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There certainly has been a bit too much big brother activity... funny how Orwell saw 1984 as the future world isnt it?