V
See, this open letter is fantastic:
me
that seems to be missing the point.
isn't the point that the capability exists to forego these legal formalities and access confidential data by executive fiat with little or no proper oversight?
the fact that such executive power is declared "legal" by a legislative body like Congress does nothing to dampen its menace and abusive potential
if Google is serious about privacy, then it would take action to strengthen end-to-end protection of data
unless I'm missing something
I'm entirely unsure why this piece of spin is fantastic
it seems desperate and dissembling
V
I think that desperation is good
In fact, I think it's excellent.
me
I think the pleading tone belies the fact that it is always groveling to certain powers
why does't it go ahead and make a grand gesture and pull out of business operations in the U.S. indignantly? Oh wait, because it can't afford to
V
Well, I think an even better part of it is that it pulled out of overseas operations on proof of malfeasance.
This is not the same.
This is the company suffering for an appearance of overeager complicity with a programme that is, itself, of unclear legality.
This is better, though.
It really doesn't matter if the charges are true or false.
It matters that the appearance or implication that the charges are true is enough to make the company squirm.
And I think that it is wrong to say that the situations are identical.
What is an organisation overseas that has equivalent political influence?
The same lobbying structures don't really exist, as I understand.
So they withdraw and take the hit
Here, the lobbying structures are very advanced
Twitter apparently refused to participate in this programme.
I think it's a positive thing if the organisations who agreed to participate are penalised in the market for the mere implication.
If this intensifies, which I hope it does, then I think the only way to fight this implication is to prove noncompliance, which means doing what they should have done from the start and allow end-to-end encryption.
me
I guess the company is now in a position in which it will have to say something, anything, and make some gesture, any gesture - however empty (and hoping that the reader doesn't notice), to get away from the implication
