For Americans, particularly the left, the Progressives, the liberals, the Democratic Party, there’s no excuse to remain puzzled about the importance of privacy and the collection of data and metadata by businesses and government.
Electronic data and metadata belong to individuals, not companies, not the government.
Everyone has the fundamental right to the protection of their personal data.
Enterprises may need to collect certain data to conduct business but it's not theirs. It has inherent value and while they have custody of it they need to handle it and protect it accordingly.
Privacy is a guarantor of democracy. Exercising agency in society is the foundation of inclusive democracy. Remove privacy and you remove the freedom to act without fear of retribution.
People who live under surveillance are, by definition, restricted.
Mass surveillance corrodes the rule of law by challenging the presumption of innocence. It opens the door to the Preventive state.
People who surrender their privacy carelessly because they have nothing to hide today, have no guarantee about tomorrow.
In the US, there is still a determined element that doesn't accept the inclusion of everyone in society. Mass surveillance is a risk with potential consequences that can’t be foreseen and shouldn't be discounted.
This is about the freedom of the individual versus the crushing power of business corporations and government.
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