[cdogl]

Should they instead invest time and public money into solving simple product problems (“how many times was this thing looked at?”) in a way that can be understood by the average desk worker? When that problem is well met by the private sector?

[nonrandomstring]

> Should they instead invest time and public money into solving simple product problems ... when that problem is well met by the private sector?

I think the answer is yes, and in my earlier post said I'd actually be happy to give more money for government projects that protect peoples' privacy better. For me the problem is not "well met by the private sector" because that solution imposes a hidden externality upon the public end-users. Part of the price we pay is leaking of our data to a non-national private company.

[pc86]

I'm not sure using Google Analytics qualifies as an "externality" but even if it does the UK government has proven time and time again it doesn't give a damn about anyone's privacy, so what makes you think any in-house version would be any better for privacy? Because it would certainly be worse from a technical standpoint.

[nonrandomstring]

> what makes you think any in-house version would be any better for privacy?

Well, it's a personal value judgement what is "better" of course, but for me being British, I see my government as having some legitimate interest in what I am doing, especially when transacting with them.

On the other hand, a gargantuan for-profit American corporation that enriches it's shareholders and was once run by Eric Schmidt, whose legendary face-palm gaffes buried "Don't be Evil" under a smoking heap of sulphurous brimstone....

  "We know where you are. We know where you’ve been. We can more or
  less know what you’re thinking about"

No thanks!

My government may be a sneaky bunch of bastards, but so far they've had the good manners not to openly show utter contempt for privacy.

[ozim]

I’d say they are “your bunch of sneaky bastards”.

I’d rather have my government doing web analytics than some faceless corporation from across the globe.

Might be of course different for people in totalitarian regimes - but as far as I am concerned I still can vote on ones in my country.

[Aerbil313]

Yes, we should. In fact, I believe every unit of governance of human society (read: nation) should be as independent as possible in every area necessary for its functioning. This means every nation should be completely independent in all of the technology it uses. This is obviously impossible. Not every nation even has the required raw resources, energy input or workforce. So no point in even trying. Luckily, all of this unfathomable monument and mess of concrete and asphalt and silicon which is called global human civilization has not even 50 years left to its total collapse. But oh, wait a minute, let me open the door... This must be your new FPV drone from China, son! Came fast, isn't it? It has only been one week...