Re: The Utility of Privacy

[nobody@huge.cajones.com (Huge Cajones Remailer)]

At 8:03 PM 11/17/1996, Black Unicorn wrote:
>On Sun, 17 Nov 1996, Huge Cajones Remailer wrote:
>> Are there similar sources of information calculating privacy risk?  I
>> don't think so.
>
>Ah, so let's ignore the risks, on the grounds that we have no idea what
>they might be, or their magnitude.  That's clever.  I like that.

The risks are not being ignored.  What is there to fear?

>> Informally, I don't know anybody who has suffered due to a loss of
>> privacy.
>
>Your circle of associations must be limited.

Examples?

>> My question remains unanswered, probably because privacy isn't worth
>> the effort.
>
>And no one can answer that question but you.  Privacy is a personal
>decision.  I'm sure there are many out there who will suffer no harm even
>if their SSN is published in the Wall Street Journal.

The experience of others has value.

>Why, however, fail to take out insurance when the cost is so low?  Really
>it doesn't take much in the way of effort or money to assure one's
>privacy.  (Hint: It's getting cheaper every day in some ways).
>
>Answer: Nearly all of the cost of privacy is concentrated in set up cost.
>Maintaince costs are minimal once set up has been made.  Yet getting over
>that first hurdle is the biggest leap.

Good.  We are getting somewhere.