The idea that the government keeps track of us via our phones is nothing new. We can debate all we want, but nothing will change since it’s already in place. As it has been this way for a long time, it is normalized. It is a casual conversation among many people on a daily basis. Although we dislike it, we do not fight it as it is not personally disrupting us. The most of what we experience from it is ads “coincidentally” relating to what you just had a verbal conversation about recently. It may creep us out sometimes, but most of the time, we make a comment about it and laugh it off.
Although I do not believe that the government infringing on our privacy is just, I believe that I would be fine with a restricted privacy as far as cellular devices go. As long as my information is not shared to the public, it would not make any difference in my life. For example, a stranger that I will never come in contact with finding out a secret about me and billions of other people without consent does not matter as much as if a close friend of mine finds out. Do I bash the United States on my phone? Yes. Do I care that they can see it? No. I have freedom of speech and expression. They have no reason to act against me as I am not a threat to the people. I do not expect a reward in exchange. All I expect is the government to actually act on serious dangers they come across since that is ultimately the purpose of surveillance. Where I draw a line at is a surveillance similar to the book 1984 where there is visual surveillance in my home and direct intentional surveillance via people around me. At that point, I would have no privacy and be paranoid 24/7 although I am innocent. That is when the oppression becomes apparent.
A realist passing through…
