Disappeared News

Maybe we wouldn't be quite so angry with the NSA collecting all of our personal data if they would give back something of value in exchange.

Look how much Google knows about us--where we drive, what food we love, what we write on our blogs, who our friends are, and much, much more. Yet we tolerate, even cooperate enthusiastically with their collection of our data because we get back plenty of value. Google does our research. Google gives us news. Google helps us drive to strange places without the need to have a map or call for directions. Google handles our email and gives us apps to put in our phones.

Now, what has the NSA done for us lately?

They don't really keep us safe from terrorism because the chance anyone will encounter a terrorist even once in their entire lifetime is negligible.

But imagine, just for a moment, that NSA provided some value to you based on the awesome amount of data they've got on you, your family, business relationships and friends already. For example, an NSA app on your phone might be able to tell you things even Google cannot:

- the phone number of that great chick/dude you met at the bar last Friday
- just where that bar was, since you were too smashed to remember
- your great aunt's birthday, since you don't want to forget it and be left out of her will
- when it was you told dad on the phone that you would repay that loan

Yes, the NSA knows things about you that Google only dreams of.

So maybe we'd feel a bit better about all this spying if only they'd give back.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 7/20/2013 01:00:00 PM