I had big plans for a long series of posts breaking down the threats to privacy and what you could do to address them, but life got in the way.
Surely, I’ll address them at some point in the future, but I would like to say one thing, just to honour the occasion.
When people say “if you’re worried about privacy, you must have something to hide,” I get annoyed.
I think that’s false. It’s like saying the only people who care about freedom must have somewhere to go. Privacy, like freedom, is about more than that — it’s more fundamental.
Not only is it about keeping things that are personal, personal, it’s about choice. No, I don’t have anywhere but Brandon to be, right now, but I cherish the freedom that I could drive to Vancouver or Halifax next week, if the impulse struck.
Similarly, I’d prefer to have the choice about what personal information I release — and when, and to whom. Once I’ve given that up, once I’ve given my personal, private information away, it’s no longer under my control. There are thousands of companies out there with some piece of my information, and I know that they don’t care about me at all.
Some people will say that because they don’t care about me, they won’t care enough to abuse my privacy. But I think it’s the opposite: I think they won’t care enough to protect it.
So think about that, the next time you’re asked for your phone number or your postal code or your drivers license. Does the person or company asking really need it? Or do they just want it? And if they want it so badly, why are you giving it away for free?
Grant Hamilton
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