On Apr 11, 2015, at 12:29, Tim Bray <tbray(_at_)textuality(_dot_)com> wrote:
The same why-we-don’t-need-privacy-in-this-case arguments keep coming up over
and over whenever the p-word rears its head. Sufficiently so that I was
motivated to post an I-D addressing them one-by one:
http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-bray-privacy-choices-01 - which has received
a bit of interest over in perpass.
From which I quote:
This document attempts to establish the following:
1. Whether or not information is considered "public" is not a good criterion
for choosing whether or not to deploy privacy technologies for its users.
2. Privacy choices are difficult and context-dependent, so it's inappropriate
to ask users to make them.
3. Privacy techologies offer benefits to users of data services even when
those technologies are imperfect.
4. Cost should not be a significant factor while considering the deployment
of privacy technologies.
Tim,
I find it ironic that in a document titled Privacy Choices, you seem to
conclude that users should have privacy forced upon them, and that they are not
equipped to make any choices for themselves. I actually agree with much of
your thesis, even that opt-in is not an appropriate mode for privacy even for
Public Information in most situations. However, you seem to deliberately
ignore another obvious possible mode for privacy that would still allow users a
choice, opt-out.
Additionally, while you make it clear privacy is important, which I agree it is
very important. However, you do not seem recognize that privacy is not
universally more important than every other consideration. For me as an
individual other considerations might be more important, at least in some
situations. I'll raise just one example here, what about accessibility, in an
ideal would no one should have to trade privacy for there basic right to access
information in a form that they can consume it. However, in the real world
these kinds of trade-offs unfortunately are forced on individuals. You think
society ignores privacy, take a look at the world from the view of a person
with disabilities, and you will see how much society can really ignore an issue.
So, while privacy is very important, please make room for the idea that it is
not always the most important issue, at least in every situation or for every
individual. I think if you gave serious consideration to opt-out privacy model
at least in some situations, I could possibly support a document along these
lines. In so many ways we don't live is a one size fits all world, even for
something as important as privacy.
Thanks.
--
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David Farmer Email: farmer(_at_)umn(_dot_)edu
Office of Information Technology
University of Minnesota
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- Tim Bray (If you’d like to send me a private message, see
https://keybase.io/timbray)