zlacker

> Because information is power and power tends to be abused over the longer term, all fig-leaves about 'improving the world' to the contrary.

This sounds more like a uncompromising proclamation instead of thorough analysis.

>>golerg+(OP)
It's simply an observation made over history, it's not a proclamation and there is no analysis involved. Anybody that has been following the applications of information technology from the earliest of times would most likely come to that same conclusion.

The ancients had it as 'power corrupts', the abuses are plentiful and that every company that engages in these practices (and the government agencies as well) do this to ostensibly make our lives easier or keep us 'safe' is very well known and advertised. If you have evidence to the contrary feel free to share it but that's where we currently stand.

>>jacque+a
> The ancients had it as 'power corrupts'

Well, then logical thing would be not to give anyone any power, ever.

My point is, if you take general principles and blindly apply it with "no analysis involved", you're likely to get to a pretty ridiculous state.

>>golerg+fb
You can take general principle and apply them with analysis, it does not take much in terms of analysis to extract a useful lesson from history, the analysis has already been done for you.

Just like any other tool such insights can be (and are) abused but it need not be like that.

The conclusion to reach is not to give anyone any power ever, clearly that's not feasible. The conclusion you're supposed to reach is that you can give power to people but you'll need oversight in place. Effectively you'll end up with checks and balances, pretty much the way most governments are set up.

And what history tells us - again - is that this isn't always sufficient to prevent abuses and our newspapers and other media seem to tell us that our current set of checks and balances have outlived their usefulness in the information age.

This flows from 'power corrupts' because it appears that those placed in power have - surprise - again abused their privileges.

Think of it as a warning beamed down from historical times to our present day that does not need more embellishment and is all the more powerful for its brevity, it is something so inherent in human nature that we need to be vigilant of it at all times, no matter who we end up placing trust in.