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I'm the one who claimed they seem to have "allyed themselves with the surveillance state," so I guess I'm really the one you're responding to. I wouldn't consider that to be trash talking, exactly, but I don't mind you saying that. I actually don't know many of the facts on the ground, as you do. I mean, you can cite evidence and provide links, and I can't. What I do know is that Google is a humongous red target painted on it that is screaming, "I have a huge proportion of all global email and lots of other kind of data! Governments and other malicious actors, come and get it if you can!" So, I think it's absolutely insane that so many of us trust Google with so much. I think we should all be encrypting everything as a matter of principle and policy, and I don't think we should all be using Google so much. I mean, how much of China's annual budget is devoted just to hacking Google via technical and social engineering means? Tens of millions of USD? That sounds very reasonable. That's what I'd be doing if I were on their side and had authority. Also, it's worth noting that individual rights are no longer considered absolutes in the US, and our legal system is currently in a trend of slow erosion. So, eventually, the government authorities are probably going to be able to demand whatever they want of Google. They possibly already have ways of doing this. As an aside, I don't begrudge you for working there. In fact, once I'm on the job market, I may even try to get a job there (not sure if they'd still have me, though, since I make the above point not infrequently). |
Partially, yup.
> facts on the ground
Again, I emphasize that I learned most of what I know by following privacy-oriented links on HN, and reading public sources. And I know these things because I, like you, think it's very much worth thinking about. I want to know whether or not Google is evil.
> Google is a humongous red target
Absolutely. No doubt.
> we should all be encrypting everything
I think I agree with your reasoning, but I disagree with your conclusion; I think this is simply evidence that I value my privacy much less than you value yours.
> trend of slow erosion
This one flows back and forth. The battle is not lost, even in the US. See e.g. that last link my my previous post, re Judge Susan Illston
possibly already have ways of doing this
You know what an NSL is, right? As far as I can tell, the FBI can ask for anything of anyone at any time. If surveillance scares you, get scared. Though, again, c.f. Susan Illston.
In any case, I once again think it is important to distinguish between the good points you make in this comment, and the shitty summary you made in the previous comment, which in my opinion is vastly under-supported and also probably wrong.
> not sure if they'd still have me, though, since I make the above point not infrequently
They hired me.