The Machine Is Watching You

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2012/02/schneier-gov-big-data-pose-bigger-net-threat-than-criminals.ars

Remember that diatribe that I wrote against Google a few weeks back? It turns out this isn't some fringe idea that Google has major, major problems. In fact, one of the largest figures in the field of computer security has openly stated similar, and even more harsh, ideas. Bruce Schneier, who is sometimes referred to as the "security guru," has recently come out against several large companies, including Google.

As the article explains, Schneier has publicly stated his discontent with many major technology agencies. These include companies such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google. The reasoning behind this, Schneier believes, is that companies such as Apple and Google have the technological capabilities and influence to actually affect the makeup of the Internet itself. Additionally, these companies are perceived by the public as legitimate experts in the field of technology, which allows them to get away with certain behaviors that other companies would not be able to get away with.

If you didn't read my last article, the particular behaviors that Scheier is referring to are various forms of data collection. We all know that Google and Facebook are huge offenders in this field, but I can guarantee that many fewer people are concerned about the data collection of Apple and Amazon. Schneier refers to the phenomena of customers trusting these major technological companies to not doing anything bad. Schneier calls this model "feudal security," and believe that it is furthered by the reliability that these companies offer in their services.