Why do we have to wait until the potential for abuse is reached? Yeah sure, maybe all this data collection will be used appropriately for the next 10, 20, 50 years. Obama may not abuse it. The next guy, or next few people in charge might not either. All it takes is one instance of abuse for everyone to say "Why didn't anyone do anything to stop this?" and we'll all say "We didn't think it would happen."
If it's not corrected before this is used nefariously then it could be too late. I mean, sure, under current conditions and laws, it's legal for the NSA to collect information on everyone. That doesn't mean it's ethical. That doesn't mean I need to sit down and agree with it. There are lots of laws I don't agree with, but they're still the legally within their right to be upheld and practiced.
"History repeats itself" is a cliche for a reason. We might be more technologically advanced than we ever have been before but we're still pretty stupid when it comes to power and control. The folks with power want to keep it, and they usually think they're doing the right thing. Especially in the name of security. Which is another interesting thing.
If I were to guess (and admittedly an uneducated guess), then I'd say that acts such as this would lead to less safety. Some people are going to want to fight back against what they think is oppressive. If there was no data collection and no spying, I'd say those people would be less inclined to oppose the government for those reasons. When you start backing them into a corner like they feel the NSA is doing, then their motivations and desperations grow.
I don't know. I just don't feel it necessary for any government to spy on their people unchecked in the name of security. Like I said, it might not be abused for 50-100 years but assuming nothing changes then it's not really a matter of if, it's a matter of when. And that's why I think it's unethical and potentially dangerous.
|