IP: more on DC to get spycams --"no choice but to accept it"

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Daniel Weitzner" <djweitzner () w3 org>
Reply-To: <djweitzner () w3 org>
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 13:01:57 -0500
To: <farber () cis upenn edu>, "ip" <ip-sub-1 () majordomo pobox com>
Subject: RE: DC to get spycams --"no choice but to accept it"

David Brin's discussion of video surveillance in 'Transparent Society' is
challenging on these issues. To paraphrase his view, while it's important to
control how many cameras there are, it is equally important, if not more so,
to be sure that there is broad access to the video feeds, or at least the
fact of their existence.

Traditional privacy thinking has concentrated on trying to limit collection
of information (excess personal information as pollution). The theory is
that if you limit what is collected you don't have to worry about how it's
used. However, given the multiple, overlapping pressures to collect more and
more information, Brin focuses on the absolute primacy of transparency
regarding what information is collected and how it is used. It's only then
that its possible to assemble the necessary political will to be sure that
information is used within civilized limits. Of course, any good code of
fair information practices includes a notion of transparency (aka notice),
but I believe much more attention to meaningful transparency is required.

Danny

--
Daniel J. Weitzner                              +1.617.253.8036 (MIT)
World Wide Web Consortium                       +1.202.364.4750 (DC)
Technology & Society Domain Leader              <djweitzner () w3 org>
http://www.w3.org/People/Weitzner.html

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