... because right now one of the biggest problems with the Internet is that it's too dependent on intermediaries. More push behind decentralization could lead to valuable technical changes.
I guess I'm too cynical to believe the Emir of Kuwait is really concerned about the average citizen's privacy.
Given that many members of the ruling class in most of the countries around that neck of the woods are relatively relaxed about raping whoever they want, beating servants, and generally indulging in criminal behavior that lends itself to DNA-based investigation and proof, I have a different hypothesis about why the Emir might not want everybody's DNA profile in a database.
It is blindingly obvious what will happen if the CRS stuff is automatically available to the public.
It will become a resource for the press, and it will become a resource for advocacy organizations. You'll hear people using it out in public, in arguments that affect congresscritter's electability and public image. Every time the CRS says anything that actually MATTERS, it will get used politically.
Every time that happens, some dipshit in Congress will claim that the CRS is biased and deliberately wrote a report to give ammunition to their opponents. Eventually you'll get some Lamar Smith type who makes it a crusade. The CRS will find its funding and its very existence in jeaopardy. So it will stop saying anything that matters. And those reports you love will turn into shit.
Anybody with even a basic understanding of politics should see that.
WHY do you think Gingrich wanted to kill the OTA? So now you want to put the CRS in the line of fire?
Humans evolved not just to play repeated games communities where they will have a lot of diverse interactions with all community members for a very long time, while being watched and evaluated by other members of that same community.
In such an environment, it makes sense to signal a desire to enforce community norms in general, and demonstrate a willingness to take costly action to do so. That strategy wins so often that it doesn't even make sense to undertake the energy cost of identifying the cases where it doesn't. And norms about distribution of benefits from effort are extremely important ones.
You may have identified a case where it doesn't win. Maybe. And maybe things have changed enough from the ancestral environment that it wins less often than it used to in general. But I wouldn't even bet on that.
I think the most interesting thing is that there is NO emphasis on minimization, selective surveillance, privacy, whatever. When they talk about targeting, it's always in the context of not losing the target, never making sure they attack only the target. I'm sure they can do all kinds of selective stuff, but it's obvious that they don't think not spying on the wrong people is at the top of the customer's mind. And I'm sure they're right.
The best they do is "Correctly interact with non-target cell phones to preserve service". Which is as much a stealth feature as anything else.
Others have already pointed out that CP distributors must be worse than viewers.
I'd like to further point out that there are plenty of sick fucks out there who torture all kinds of people, including children, in all kinds of ways, many of which have permanent effects up to and including death, and many of which have nothing to do with porn or sex.
On the post: Judge Leaning Strongly Towards Tossing Pimping Charges Against Backpage Executives
Intermediary liability could be a good thing...
Maybe, anyway.
On the post: Kuwait Backtracks On Mandatory DNA Database Of All Citizens And Visitors
Given that many members of the ruling class in most of the countries around that neck of the woods are relatively relaxed about raping whoever they want, beating servants, and generally indulging in criminal behavior that lends itself to DNA-based investigation and proof, I have a different hypothesis about why the Emir might not want everybody's DNA profile in a database.
On the post: This Is Huge: New Project Releases All Current (Non-Confidential) Congressional Research Service Reports
You are wrong. Obviously wrong.
It will become a resource for the press, and it will become a resource for advocacy organizations. You'll hear people using it out in public, in arguments that affect congresscritter's electability and public image. Every time the CRS says anything that actually MATTERS, it will get used politically.
Every time that happens, some dipshit in Congress will claim that the CRS is biased and deliberately wrote a report to give ammunition to their opponents. Eventually you'll get some Lamar Smith type who makes it a crusade. The CRS will find its funding and its very existence in jeaopardy. So it will stop saying anything that matters. And those reports you love will turn into shit.
Anybody with even a basic understanding of politics should see that.
WHY do you think Gingrich wanted to kill the OTA? So now you want to put the CRS in the line of fire?
That's really dumb.
On the post: A Massive Cable Industry Disinformation Effort Just Crushed The FCC's Plan For Cable Box Competition
On the post: The Weird Psychology Of People Fighting Those Who Resell Their Products
In such an environment, it makes sense to signal a desire to enforce community norms in general, and demonstrate a willingness to take costly action to do so. That strategy wins so often that it doesn't even make sense to undertake the energy cost of identifying the cases where it doesn't. And norms about distribution of benefits from effort are extremely important ones.
You may have identified a case where it doesn't win. Maybe. And maybe things have changed enough from the ancestral environment that it wins less often than it used to in general. But I wouldn't even bet on that.
On the post: EFF Heads To Court To Fight Off Smart Grid Company That Can't Wrap Its Mind Around Section 230 Protections
On the post: Albuquerque Police Seize Vehicle From Owner Whose Son Drove It While Drunk; Want $4,000 To Give It Back
Is the majority that passed the law still in place?
On the post: Leaked Law Enforcement Supply Catalog Shows Souped-Up Cell Tower Spoofers, Tons Of Pervasive Surveillance Options
The best they do is "Correctly interact with non-target cell phones to preserve service". Which is as much a stealth feature as anything else.
On the post: Inspector General Finds NYPD's Surveillance Of Muslims Routinely Violated Consent Decree Guidelines
Unless they actually held a gun to his/her head, the judge deserves some blame here.
On the post: FBI Apparently Made Darkweb Child Porn Site Faster During Its Hosting Of Seized Server
"Worst of the worst"
Others have already pointed out that CP distributors must be worse than viewers.
I'd like to further point out that there are plenty of sick fucks out there who torture all kinds of people, including children, in all kinds of ways, many of which have permanent effects up to and including death, and many of which have nothing to do with porn or sex.
"Worst of the worst" is just lazy.
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