tussticular

"Commentators often attempt to refute the nothing-to-hide argument by pointing to things people want..."

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 10:01:17 -0400

“

Commentators often attempt to refute the nothing-to-hide argument by pointing to things people want to hide. But the problem with the nothing-to-hide argument is the underlying assumption that privacy is about hiding bad things. By accepting this assumption, we concede far too much ground and invite an unproductive discussion about information that people would very likely want to hide. As the computer-security specialist Schneier aptly notes, the nothing-to-hide argument stems from a faulty “premise that privacy is about hiding a wrong.” Surveillance, for example, can inhibit such lawful activities as free speech, free association, and other First Amendment rights essential for democracy.

The deeper problem with the nothing-to-hide argument is that it myopically views privacy as a form of secrecy. In contrast, understanding privacy as a plurality of related issues demonstrates that the disclosure of bad things is just one among many difficulties caused by government security measures. To return to my discussion of literary metaphors, the problems are not just Orwellian but Kafkaesque. Government information-gathering programs are problematic even if no information that people want to hide is uncovered. In The Trial, the problem is not inhibited behavior but rather a suffocating powerlessness and vulnerability created by the court system’s use of personal data and its denial to the protagonist of any knowledge of or participation in the process. The harms are bureaucratic ones—indifference, error, abuse, frustration, and lack of transparency and accountability.

”

- Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have ‘Nothing to Hide’ (via ayjay)

We All Look the Same in the Dark

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 21:11:00 -0400

We All Look the Same in the Dark

Why I can’t have kids, Reason #146

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:27:33 -0400

Why I can’t have kids, Reason #146

Island In A Forgotten Dream: How many internets are there?

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:29:29 -0400

Island In A Forgotten Dream: How many internets are there?:

booleanearth:

Let’s start with this: what is the Internet? Facetious answers like “a series of tubes” and “where crazy people come together to talk about cats and pornography” aside, it’s something we use everyday, so we should have a good understanding of what it really is. Google defines it as “a global…

This is so stupid and just plain wrong. Durrr… there must be 83 different internets because I read on Wikipedia that there are like, totally 83 different languages. But I only sorta speak English so where are the rest of the Internets?

insooutso: pocketcontents: fuckyeahreligionpigeon: More Last...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:36:57 -0400

insooutso:

pocketcontents:

fuckyeahreligionpigeon:

More Last Supper.

Oh yeah

Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world I can’t take it…

hitlersasshole: carboncrusader: I don’t know what the fuck I...

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:47:50 -0500

hitlersasshole:

carboncrusader:

I don’t know what the fuck I was expecting

lms if u cried

Photo

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:01:39 -0500

pleatedjeans: jim benton

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:17:07 -0500

pleatedjeans:

jim benton

iraffiruse: Garfield replaced with a realistic cat. frozach...

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:07:34 -0500

iraffiruse:

Garfield replaced with a realistic cat.

frozach submitted

claytoncubitt: “What I have to offer is me. What you have to...

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:33:22 -0500

claytoncubitt:

“What I have to offer is me. What you have to offer is you.”

Perfect for the season.

A short inspirational talk by Charlie Kaufman, with emotional visuals by Eliot Rausch.

Beautiful

winstonknight: SFO

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:58:42 -0500

winstonknight:

SFO

Birth Control Babe

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:32:26 -0500

Birth Control Babe

mswyrr: Because it deserves repeating. Here’s Mitt Romney’s mom...

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:05:44 -0400

mswyrr:

Because it deserves repeating. Here’s Mitt Romney’s mom talking about what an awesome thing welfare is and how much it helped her husband:

Photo

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:44:32 -0400

fuckyeahdementia: Fortune 500 In The Year 2030

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:17:49 -0400

fuckyeahdementia:

Fortune 500 In The Year 2030

alex-lately: heyveronica: joeveix: boobsradley: hahahahahahaa...

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:16:20 -0400

alex-lately:

heyveronica:

joeveix:

boobsradley:

hahahahahahaa

Verified!

OH MY GOD

WAIT WHAT

Eat the Eggs!

Photo

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:30:09 -0400

These are your lifetimes..

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:29:24 -0400

These are your lifetimes..

openareas: doublejack: soupsoup: “Prince absolutely,...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:12:28 -0400

openareas:

doublejack:

soupsoup:

“Prince absolutely, positively murders a solo then casually disposes of the murder weapon and calmly walks away”

Wow.

The last few minutes of this made me feel something like joy.

Awesome.. Just awesome.

Last night’s blue moon over Akron, Ohio.

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 19:30:40 -0400

Last night’s blue moon over Akron, Ohio.