John Scott-Railton

And we've already seen cases where the fruits of hacking are used to hurt and harm people. So as I see this... There is a constant battle to try to protect a degree of individual privacy from big, powerful interests, whether it is governments or corporations. And we should be fighting this battle on multiple fronts at once. But what we shouldn't do is say, well, okay, you know,

And we've already seen cases where the fruits of hacking are used to hurt and harm people. So as I see this... There is a constant battle to try to protect a degree of individual privacy from big, powerful interests, whether it is governments or corporations. And we should be fighting this battle on multiple fronts at once. But what we shouldn't do is say, well, okay, you know,

One bad apple is already violating our privacy, so we shouldn't be angry when another bad apple does it. It's different also, if you think about it like this, it's different when an entity that is seeking to monitor your behavior in order to sell you something

One bad apple is already violating our privacy, so we shouldn't be angry when another bad apple does it. It's different also, if you think about it like this, it's different when an entity that is seeking to monitor your behavior in order to sell you something

learn something about you than an entity that can put you in jail and deny you your freedom based on that information has access to it and that's why in many cases i think it's appropriate for the police to have a harder time getting access to people's private information than you or i might if we wanted to buy a bunch of user data because the consequences are so great good point

learn something about you than an entity that can put you in jail and deny you your freedom based on that information has access to it and that's why in many cases i think it's appropriate for the police to have a harder time getting access to people's private information than you or i might if we wanted to buy a bunch of user data because the consequences are so great good point

Jack, as you're talking about these things, here's how I think about this. There are certain questions about citizens that are probably illegitimate for governments to ask. Certain questions like, do they really believe in politics? you know, so-and-so, president so-and-so, right?

Jack, as you're talking about these things, here's how I think about this. There are certain questions about citizens that are probably illegitimate for governments to ask. Certain questions like, do they really believe in politics? you know, so-and-so, president so-and-so, right?

Because once governments start having the ability to get those questions asked and to do so in secret, there may be a temptation to use that information to retaliate and to harm people. And part of why it's critically important to stem the proliferation of spyware like Pegasus and Predator

Because once governments start having the ability to get those questions asked and to do so in secret, there may be a temptation to use that information to retaliate and to harm people. And part of why it's critically important to stem the proliferation of spyware like Pegasus and Predator

is not just because it's bad when dictators are able to hack dissidents and chill dissidents, but because in democracies, we really also do not want this kind of capability lurking around out there, tempting governments, local, state, and national to abuse it in ways that will ultimately erode the freedoms that we cherish. Think about it this way. When you make a choice to speak out publicly,

is not just because it's bad when dictators are able to hack dissidents and chill dissidents, but because in democracies, we really also do not want this kind of capability lurking around out there, tempting governments, local, state, and national to abuse it in ways that will ultimately erode the freedoms that we cherish. Think about it this way. When you make a choice to speak out publicly,

against a government policy that you disagree with. In a democracy, you should have some perception, not just that you are free to speak your mind, you can't be jailed for saying, I disagree with this, but also that it would be inappropriate for the government to retaliate against you for doing this, right?

against a government policy that you disagree with. In a democracy, you should have some perception, not just that you are free to speak your mind, you can't be jailed for saying, I disagree with this, but also that it would be inappropriate for the government to retaliate against you for doing this, right?

And what form of retaliation is scarier than the idea that the government could suddenly choose to basically penetrate as deep as it can into your private world and look at all your stuff? What a terrifying thought. That is the thought that people in East Germany live with every day. That is the thought that people living in dictatorships live with every day.

And what form of retaliation is scarier than the idea that the government could suddenly choose to basically penetrate as deep as it can into your private world and look at all your stuff? What a terrifying thought. That is the thought that people in East Germany live with every day. That is the thought that people living in dictatorships live with every day.

The potential that an angry official could just be like, well, let's see what Jack's worried about at 2 a.m., right? Let's see what health concerns bother him. Let's see what things he's like talking about in the evening with his partner.

The potential that an angry official could just be like, well, let's see what Jack's worried about at 2 a.m., right? Let's see what health concerns bother him. Let's see what things he's like talking about in the evening with his partner.

Yeah. And this is the question. And there are two parts to it. The first is, would they be doing it with proper authority under law? Or are they just doing it like in a 24 episode because there's a ticking time bomb, right?

Yeah. And this is the question. And there are two parts to it. The first is, would they be doing it with proper authority under law? Or are they just doing it like in a 24 episode because there's a ticking time bomb, right?