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A coalition of dozens of the largest tech companies in the world is adamantly opposing any form of an official "backdoor" into encrypted devices.
The Information Technology Industry Council is a group of more than 60 major tech companies and organizations, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Intel and Facebook.
"We deeply appreciate law enforcement's and the national security community's work to protect us," the council said in a statement issued Thursday, "but weakening encryption or creating backdoors to encrypted devices and data for use by the good guys would actually create vulnerabilities to be exploited by the bad guys, which would almost certainly cause serious physical and financial harm across our society and our economy."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by NotSanguine on Friday November 27 2015, @08:27AM
What you see is a country pretty much in a permanent peace time mode of operation. Other than a brief few months right after 9/11, the country hasn't been mobilized on anything like a war-time basis since the Korean War.
You seem to be asking for a wsr time mobilization.
I don't think that's what OP was suggesting. Rather, I think he/she would like to see two things:
1. Redirect some of the resources we're currently expending on enriching the Military/Intelligence/Industrial complex and "protecting" us with mass surveillance, a bloated military and the latest killing machines, and spend some of that money on creative activities, whether here, abroad, or in space.
2. Change the mission statement of Congress, Inc. from lining the pockets of their owners to serving the interests of the population they purport to represent.
Neither of those two things require any sort of "war time mobilization," unless that means arming and training folks to murder 535 folks who are engaged in undermining our nation.
And quite frankly I'd rather not see that happen, and I suspect you would be the first one in line to bitch if a national goal was suddenly established and a concerted effort launched to achieve it. No matter what goal was chosen it would be the wrong goal, at the wrong time foisted on the wrong people.
Given that our corporate masters have pitted us against each other pretty successfully, it does seem rather unlikely that we, as a country, can find enough agreement to set some achievable goals which might serve to bring us together in common cause. That's kind of sad, IMHO.
But just because it's unlikely, that doesn't mean it's impossible -- just that it's difficult. As a life-long optimist, I'd like to see something like that. I'd like to see that a lot.
In fact, I'd like to invoke the memory of one of the greatest of us [imdb.com] when I say:
More seriously, I think the point is that we're not just producing/consuming economic animals. We're humans. We thrive on challenge and the chance to be something more. Hiding behind our military and handing over our liberties in a futile effort to be safe is the coward's way. Creating a better world for *everyone* makes us all better and stronger. Sitting in your house and thinking, "fuck all the rest of you, I had to work hard for what I've got!" won't help you. It just creates a harsher world and empowers those who want to be the boot that would stomp on all of our faces, forever.
Feel free to disagree, but I really believe that we are stronger together. E Pluribus Unum used to mean something. I'd like it if it did again.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Friday November 27 2015, @08:48AM
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/ [opensecrets.org]
Mountaire Corp (involved with poultry) will always care about "ag gag" laws more than the average citizen. American Crystal Sugar will always care about the farm bills more than the average citizen. Lockheed Martin will always care more about the U.S. defense budget more than the average citizen. The list goes on.
Even a well-rounded citizen can't pay attention to every political issue and decision. That's where the lobby groups come in. In some rare cases the rich might battle it out on opposite sides (Silicon Valley lobbyists vs. Hollywood lobbyists). In others, like the defense industry, it's just more money piled onto the winning horse. The public's horses have been shot in the legs and are struggling to keep up.
Imagine a near ban on lobbying (institutionalized bribery) complete with campaign finance reform. The money will then change hands less obviously, and sites like Open Secrets will be unable to track it.
Optimism is out. Managing your pessimism is in.
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(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday November 27 2015, @09:13AM
Optimism is out. Managing your pessimism is in.
Manage my pessimism? So I should get fitted for a comfy face pad [rackcdn.com] then, eh?
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday November 27 2015, @04:47PM
Well you're not dead from trying to overthrow the government(s), so you are either doing something behind the scenes or nothing at all.
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(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday November 27 2015, @09:48PM
Well you're not dead from trying to overthrow the government(s), so you are either doing something behind the scenes or nothing at all.
If you google the quotation (which is not mine), I think you'll find that you have no sense of humor. At all.
If you want to pick on something else in my post, why not this:
E Pluribus Unum used to mean something. I'd like it if it did again.
As your tone implies that you're not so into that either.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr