From: James Swayze (swayzej@earthlink.net)
Date: Sun Mar 12 2000 - 02:06:25 MST
Someone once said, "Any people willing to give up a little freedom for more
security, deserves neither".
James
Charlie Stross wrote:
>
> On Fri, Mar 10, 2000 at 01:23:36AM -0800, Eugene Leitl wrote:
> >
> > No way. Especially because Pandora's nano box will be opened before
> > BigBrother++ can be installed, and will blow away all high hopes of
> > anal-retentive control freaks.
>
> Ahem: Big Brother is being installed right now, as I type, in
> this very country -- the UK. Want a legislative framework? See
> http://www.stand.org.uk/ for the full gory details. Want cameras on
> every streetcorner? The British government is installing something like
> a thousand public CCTV cameras *a week*, while in many high streets it's
> impossible to get planning permission to open a shop unless you agree to
> install CCTV surveillance (and make it available to the cops, of course).
>
> Meanwhile, we have a legislative stampede to ban evil -- on the grounds
> that Something Must Be Done, and the way to do it is to Pass A Law.
> The intersection of an over-legislated society with omnipresent
> surveillance is not a pretty prospect -- imagine the methods of the War
> On Drugs extended to cover equally jaywalking, illicit parking in disabled
> parking spaces, tax evasion, wilfully uttering obscenities in public, bank
> robbery, allowing a dog to foul the sidewalk, rape, and sexual harassment
> (eyeballing an attractive member of the appropriate sex while in public).
>
> We have the technology, and we have the excuses. Be afraid: be very afraid.
>
> -- Charlie
-- "Quod de futuris non est determinata omnino veritas" NOSTRADAMUS 15TH Century
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