Dan Gillmor's 2014 resolution: Stop my country from becoming a surveillance state
Source: The Guardian
... Thanks to whistleblowers, especially Edward Snowden, and the journalists who've reported on what they've been shown, the citizens of many countries have a far better idea than before about the extent to which security and law enforcement services have invaded their lives. We've learned about the stunning capabilities of the National Security Agency and others to create a real-life Panopticon, spying on and recording everything we say and do. We've learned that they abuse their powers – because that is also human nature – and lie incessantly, even to the people who are supposed to keep them in check. And we've learned that the technology industry is, if not in bed with the surveillance state, its chief arms dealer.
Meanwhile, the telecom industry – and its corporate and political allies – have been working hard to turn the internet into just an enhanced form of cable television. They are trying to end any vestige of what's come to be known as "network neutrality", the idea that we users of the internet, not the corporate middlemen, should make the decisions about what bits of information get delivered to our devices.
... Progress, but not nearly enough. The heads of the privacy-destroying agencies have made it absolutely clear that they don't have the slightest intention of moderating their activities; they plan, if anything, to accelerate their invasions of our lives. Meanwhile, most of the politicians who swear to "protect and defend the constitution" are, in fact, the surveillance abusers' chief defenders.
... As an incurable optimist, I'm hoping this will be the year we look back on as a vital phase of America's recovery from its post September 11 insanity. It won't happen by itself, however. This cause needs our attention, and our work.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/05/new-years-resolution-stop-nsa-surveillance-state
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