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by sealeck
812 days ago
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I think privacy is really about power – we think the individual deserves privacy because it protects their personal autonomy from either corporate or state abuse. My view is that privacy is important because it's a prerequisite for self-expression – it's not just "oh you might have something to hide", it's that if you are watched/monitored then your behaviour will change. Why is this different when it comes to corporations? First, some jurisdictions (e.g. the UK) argue that limited liability is a privilege because it provides extensive legal protection for those undertaking a venture. With that privilege come certain responsibilities and duties, one of which is non-anonymity. There's also a pragmatic argument that it deters bad behaviour which is another reason to justify this. Second, I think it's _really_ hard to argue that being able to have an anonymous, offshore shell corporation is essential for your self expression. Especially not when you are using it to hide large amounts of money. In fact, this infringes upon other people's right to self expression by depriving the state of funding that it would use to provide services to them such as education, subsidising the arts, etc. There's a good piece in the New Yorker which explores exactly this question: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/06/27/why-the-privac... |
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that goes both ways .. tax collection, arbitrary and capricious enforcement of regulation, scrutiny-as-punishment .. these things are as old as cities