Enough is Enough.
Lawmakers, corporations, and the power elite at large have forsaken their duty, social responsibility, intrinsic empathy, and even basic common sense in permitting the creation of the most advanced surveillance network that has been, for the purpose of extracting ever more infinitesimal value from the consumer.
There is no action or attribute of an individual to minute to track, and record permanently in database, waiting for some potential, as-of-yet-undetermined, commercial application - including the sale of the data to government agencies otherwise prohibited from collecting it to circumvent legal requirements that the government not engage in that behavior.
Every. Single. Change in Technology is exploited to provide additional data and authority to those in power. The US refused a system of I.D. until it was imposed by requiring driver licenses, then made federal through social security numbers, then made bio-metric and effectively federal through “Real ID” requirements to fly. Social Security has become a static unchangeable identifier for federal id, required by virtually every single vendor you contract with as it is now ingrained into background check functionality.
Smart Phones have been exploited to provide extensive real time surveillance on virtually the entire population, twenty four hours per day. The new computing model strips control from the “owner” of the device, and collects data with your “consent” to be shared with unknown parties. You as a “consumer”, are required to be technologically skillful enough to identify what apps should require what permissions, and legally skillful enough to determine the contents of a “privacy” policy. Flashlight apps now collect your contacts.
None of this “consent” is real. It is “Manufactured Consent”. Manufactured by exploiting a power and knowledge asymmetry between the user, and the provider. This is readily apparent, and virtually the entire population will affirm it. We all know that we all know. Yet, Law Makers will not act. The State and Business have co-aligned interests in surveillance. Worse, Law Makers seek to actively undermine the technologies like encryption that are necessary for real privacy.
So ordering a pizza now requires an e-mail address. Over the phone. Companies require social security numbers, birth certificates, for things as mundane as a cell phone. Wouldn’t want any prank calls right? All of this data is collected and stored forever. But its worse. It constantly leaks. And No one is ever held responsible for the very real effects this causes: Phishing, Bank Fraud, Tax Fraud, Stalking, Doxing, Swatting, Assaults….
So Why Cooperate? The Solution to this problem is a guerrilla war. Not Violence, but prudence. Why should I disclose accurate information to companies who are bound to leak it and have no incentive to to protect it ? Don’t. Every Chance I Get, I will provide inconsistent, non-persistent, identifiers to every company that asks. Why should I provide my real name to order a package online? Why shouldn’t I create a new account for each purchase with a company ? Why should I use a consistent e-mail when various forwarders and aliases are available? The tools for this war exist. Arm yourself. Cease to cooperate in your own surveillance.
We need a Guerrilla Privacy Movement.
Enough is Enough.
