The Absence of Data Privacy Law Is a National Security Threat

Re:The Absence of Data Privacy Law Is a National Security Th... by BLKNSLVR on Friday September 08, 2023 @07:32PM (#37440575)

If the US Government is worried enough about the data that TikTok vacuums up from its users that it wants to ban that specific app, that screams loudly that the behaviour of TikTok, who have merely followed the path laid down by the likes of Google and Facebook, is a threat to national security.

But since this behaviour has been going on so long, and the US economy is already in such a dire state, laws protecting user privacy (laws that are actually worth a damn) could have a disastrous enough effect on the US economy that implementing these privacy laws could also be a national security risk.

Which is why they tried to ban TikTok rather than actually do the right, difficult thing of implementing worthwhile privacy laws.

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Re:The Absence of Data Privacy Law Is a National Security Th... by what-no-tests on Friday September 08, 2023 @07:37PM (#37440618)

Wait wait wait.

By this logic the US Economy is held up by a thread of revenue produced by monetizing all of human behavior for the sake of selling more stuff?

And privacy laws (which somehow don't include the 4th amendment because surveillance) would threaten this economy?

To paraphrase Immanuel Kant, "If privacy will kill it, let it die."

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Re:The Absence of Data Privacy Law Is a National Security Th... by BLKNSLVR on Friday September 08, 2023 @11:50PM (#37442117)

Totally in agreement with the Kant paraphrasing sentiment.

Re-reading my comment, I did use language that was too strong. I wasn't trying to say entirely held up, but that it would have a non-trivial, even-a-layman-would-notice effect. I wouldn't predict a 2008-scale crash, but I would predict a crash that would make global headlines.

Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Nvidia, Alphabet, Meta, and Tesla make up over 50% of the 'weight' (market cap?) of the Nasdaq[0]. I'd argue that all but Nvidia would have fairly significant changes to make to their operations and software if (worthwhile) privacy legislation was put in place (Apple and Tesla less obviously, but definitely non-zero).

It would also potentially entirely negate the raison d'être of a number of companies that exist purely to collect, aggregate and trade private data, partially as their data sources are immediately dried up, and partially because their stock-in-trade has been outlawed.

I don't think it'll ever happen though, because politics has very quickly become addicted to this data. Politics is providing the umbrella for the bloodsucking surveillance, tracking, and targeted-advertising industries.

Politics may put forward some kind of sop to the privacy-nuts making a big noise, but it would be totally and absolutely toothless. Written intentionally ambiguously enough as to be easily circumnavigated, and there would be little to no funding for enforcement.

[0]: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/nasdaq-100-companies-by-...

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