Imagine a future where it becomes easier to commit terrorism because of some technological advancements—like smaller, less traceable bombs, or chemical weapons that are easily accessible and lead to higher casualties—like in the 1,000s or more. Imagine in that scenario, that the likelihood of you or someone you know becoming the victim of a terrorist attack is now non-trivial in your society. In a future where this becomes the norm, it would be interesting to see if individuals are more willing to adopt a level of increased surveillance as it seems like the only reasonable protection against terror.
Right now this debate is oriented mostly around the fact that surveillance today is not a good deal—consumers give up their privacy and get nothing in return. But is there a tipping point? Technology draws us closer, day by day, and the threat matrix will become more sophisticated as time moves forward.
Most individuals on HN are privacy absolutists but one should recognize that tradeoffs exist. That tradeoff is just not compelling today, but that doesn't mean that will always be the case. If you go to China, where everything and everyone is surveilled, I think you'd be surprised to find that many Chinese don't mind. They feel incredibly safe and don't have to worry about being victims of crimes, having their packages stolen, walking around late at night alone, etc. Walking around in China with absolute peace of mind around my own personal safety is a very eye-opening experience as someone coming from the US. I've always advocated for stringent privacy protections; but when giving that up buys you absolute safety in your immediate environment, that's not an experience you forget.
I'm certainly not saying I'm a proponent of living in a surveillance state—I'm simply noting that tradeoffs exist and a sort of re-balancing is constantly occurring, which is just interesting to be aware of.
Right now this debate is oriented mostly around the fact that surveillance today is not a good deal—consumers give up their privacy and get nothing in return. But is there a tipping point? Technology draws us closer, day by day, and the threat matrix will become more sophisticated as time moves forward.
Most individuals on HN are privacy absolutists but one should recognize that tradeoffs exist. That tradeoff is just not compelling today, but that doesn't mean that will always be the case. If you go to China, where everything and everyone is surveilled, I think you'd be surprised to find that many Chinese don't mind. They feel incredibly safe and don't have to worry about being victims of crimes, having their packages stolen, walking around late at night alone, etc. Walking around in China with absolute peace of mind around my own personal safety is a very eye-opening experience as someone coming from the US. I've always advocated for stringent privacy protections; but when giving that up buys you absolute safety in your immediate environment, that's not an experience you forget.
I'm certainly not saying I'm a proponent of living in a surveillance state—I'm simply noting that tradeoffs exist and a sort of re-balancing is constantly occurring, which is just interesting to be aware of.