How tech companies are dealing with their new-found distrust of the federal goverment.
At first we were in an arms race with sophisticated criminals,” says Eric Grosse, Google’s head of security. “Then we found ourselves in an arms race with certain nation-state actors [with a reputation for cyberattacks]. And now we’re in an arms race with the best nation-state actors.” Primarily, the US government.
It’ll be nice when the courts figure out that the internet counts as “papers and effects” and learns the definition of “particularly” doesn’t mean “all the things”.
And the poor, misunderstood NSA:
But they do not see any of those points as a reason to stop gathering data. They chalk all of that negativity up to monumental misunderstandings triggered by a lone leaker and a hostile press. NSA employees see themselves as dealing with genuine deadly threats to the nation, and it makes them crazy when people assume that spooks at Fort Meade are intent on stealing their privacy.
“It’s almost delusional,” Ledgett says. “I wish I could get to the high mountaintop to scream, ‘You’re not a target!’”
I’m not a target, great. But my information is (possibly? probably? see, I don’t know and that’s a problem) being scooped up too. Even if it unintentional and gets winnowed out later, it’s still being scooped up and I think that’s unconstitutional. But keep splitting those hairs. Let’s keep sliding into a police state. It’s for our own good! Didn’t Franklin have something to say about that? Who cares, he’s dead and lived in a different world with different concerns! There were no anarchists and terrorists and splinter cells intent on the destruction of governments in his day! Carry on!
I shouldn’t have to engage security protocols to protect my internet stuff from my own government; criminals, sure, but not the government.
Not So Fast 