Confronting Big Brother

Confronting the Face, Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

 



Everyone these days is aware that Big Brother is watching.  The real conundrum is, does it really matter, and what should we do?

To begin with it's important to draw a distinction between what Big Brother can do as far as the technology, and what he can do as far as practicality.

Can spy satellites look into your bedroom?  Of course not.  They're just cameras, they can't see through ceilings and walls, this isn't Star Trek.  And the cameras are looking straight down from really high up. They can't look at much of an angle. 

Can spy satellites see you sunbathing in the nude in your back yard?  Yes, of course they can. Put your clothes back on.

They can take a photo.  What they can't do is hover in space and watch you put on the sunscreen. Satellites move about 18,000 mph.

Will they take photos of you?  Heaven's to Betsy, of course not! Those satellites costs hundreds of millions of dollars to build and launch.  Plus millions more for operating costs, including highly trained photo interpreters.  And you think you're important enough they're going to watch you?  What kind of shenanigans have you been up to?

Does Big Brother read your email? Of course not, don't be silly.  However, big computers have been sifting through emails for as long as there have been emails.  And again, why are you worried?  They are searching for patterns with words like _______ and ________!  They want to ______ whoever is ______ing the _________.  Not how your _________ makes banana ___ bread.

The big caveat here is, the people who work at Big Brother Inc. do have that information in their dirty little hands.  Small minded government functionaries with small pay checks have their sticky little fingers on that pile of email.  It is your right and your duty to demand to know what they are doing with that information.

I would be the first person to insist that governments have to do sneaky dirty under handed spy stuff like this to protect it's citizens. 

At the same time the citizens must forever keep an eye on the elected and appointed officials who run these programs. They have a very strict mandate with specific limitations, and ANY deviation from that mandate MUST result in the strictest punishment, including immediate dismissal and possible criminal action.

In short, what do we do about Big Brother in government? 

Not happy about the speed cameras on the freeway?  Don't speed.  And let the officials who authorized the cameras know that their actions will influence your vote. Finally, when the time comes, don't forget to vote for the other guy.

Perhaps the greater danger isn't the government watching you, but big business.  Everything from putting tracking cookies on your computer to see what pages you look at to tracking your movements within a store by tracking your cell phone.

Done in the name of business.  Done in the name of taking more of your money any way they can. 

I don't mind if the store tracks the 123rd person to walk through the door. But if they are tracking my phone number and that information gets shared in any way?  I have a big problem with that.

And remember, these little spy games are being orchestrated by the same whiz kids who set up Target's security.

We have to watch the watchers.  We, through our elected officials, need to set the limits. We, the people, need to stand and say NO when petty bureaucrats and greedy shop owners overstep and misuse their authority.

We, the people, need to be the Bigger Brother.