[specialist]

You using my talking points to argue against me is, um, well I honestly can't say. Clearly I'm not explaining myself very well. As someone who's actually done the work, tried to make privacy protecting systems, I can't help but feel that most people have very naive notions about the whole situation. Like virgins dispensing sex advice with grave authority.

It's fine to flap your lips and wiggle your hips about privacy. Advocacy as performance art. I might be more convinced by implementations, systems, code, legislation.

Might I suggest starting with Translucent Databases, or explaining how states might conduct intel on foreign threats without impinging rights of citizens, or sketching financial systems based on zero knowledge proofs, or show how medical research and clinical studies might be done effectively with differential privacy.

Whenever I think about these potential solutions, it breaks my brain. But I'm sure the non-tech people (ACLU, Greenwald, etc) are much smarter than me and will lead the way.

Or we can all demand the impossible -- because Something Must Be Done -- forfeit on practicalities, declare victory, and move on to next outrage.