Re: There's no general right to privacy -- get over it, from Netly

[Tim May <tcmay@got.net>]

At 7:56 AM -0700 6/13/97, Declan McCullagh wrote:
>I suspect the scare about privacy has led to muddled thinking.
>
>Free speech is a right that strictly limits the government's ability to
>control what you say. We should have a similar right of privacy from the
>government.
>
>But I give up my free speech "rights" when I attend a college with a wacky
>speech code or go to work at a company with workplace speech policies. My
>choices in those situations are governed by my free speech preferences.
>Similarly, I give up my privacy "rights" when I go to unknown web sites,
>apply for a loan, or post to Usenet, etc. These also are preferences.
>
>I'm surprised not to hear more from other folks here: my position is one
>cypherpunks have advocated for years -- controlling what data flow from my
>computer is my responsibility.


I agree with everything Declan is saying. There is serious confusion out
there about "rights to privacy," everything from people passing laws
limiting how businesses may run their businesses to proposed laws limiting
the records people and companies may keep.

Sadly, too many people are simply ignorant of the underlying issues and
haven't given the issues much critical thought.

Hence the calls for "privacy laws," which actually violate more basic rights.

I predict a long battle with these "privacy advocates," especially the D.C.
lobbyist groups.

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."