This might be the most chilling text message I have ever heard of:
“Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance.”
I know many observers have long criticized those who write about privacy of being outfitted with tinfoil hats. Admittedly, we sometimes stretch to conjure up nightmare scenarios to explain our objection to the collection of information by corporations. I think we will not have to stretch any longer.
The New York Times reported today that government protesters in the Ukraine received texts with the above menacing message on Tuesday. Its language was designed to echo a new anti-protesting law that took effect Tuesday. The Times also made the link between data gathered by marketers, and data used to intimidate political opponents.
“Protesters were concerned that the government seemed to be using cutting edge technology from the advertising industry for pinpointing potential customers for political profiling,” the Times wrote.
We’ve known for years that our cell phones are essentially tracking devices. We know now that the NSA feels it has the right to use them that way. There’s always been a big “So what?” question hanging over those facts, however. Now we know.
“Thuggish governments will continue to be thuggish governments, only increasingly technologically sophisticated ones,” wrote the ACLU’s Catherine Crump about the incident
Naturally, some might believe, “that would never happen here.” And perhaps they’re right. But would you bet the Constitution on it? Do you think the Founding Fathers would have? Democrats, would you trust every future Republican administration not to abuse its authority? Republicans?
Data gathering and storage has far outpaced our ability to process all the potential implications of that. It’s time to stand up and say, “Not so fast,” to the potential tyranny of data.
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