BrettRoberts

CST373EthicsinComm&Tech
InstructorKevinCahill
9/29/2014

MyThoughtsOnPrivacyLimitationsPost9/11

Privacyisallabouttradeoffs.TheauthorofTheLimitsofPrivacy,AmitaiEtzioni,
alwaysstartsaprivacyanalysiswithafundamentalquestion,Dothebenefitstothepublic,
outweighthecostofprivacy.Tosome,thequestioncanbeeasilyansweredwithayesorno.
Inmycase,italwayscomesdownto,Itdependsonthecircumstance.Manyfacetsofour
livesplayconsiderablerolesinourpersonalprivacy.Usually,itsourownignorancethatproves
mostvolatileintermsofprivacy.LivingintheInformationAge,weneedtoconstantlybe
consciousofwhatinformationisbeingdivulged,andmoreimportantly,forwhatreason.
AmitaiEtzionihasanameforthisreasoning.Itiscalledcommongood,anditcomes
downtoanagreementthatthetopicinquestionshouldbeprotected.Theauthorusesthe
environmentasaprimaryexample.Statingthat,practicallyallAmericansagreethat
protectingtheenvironmentisacommongood,althoughwedifferregardingscopeandspecifics
ofthiscommitment.(Etzioni3).Amitaifocusesonfivemaintopics,whichhaveunderlining
conceptsofcommongood.Thetopicsare:HIVtestingofinfants,disclosureofchildmolesters,
decipheringencryptedmessages,IDcardsandbiometricidentifiers,andindividualmedical
records.Thesecommongoodscanrangefromprotectingsomeonesprivacytosavingahuman
beingfromdying.Surprisingly,ahumanbeingsprivacybeinginfringeduponcanresultindeath.
Withintheauthorstopics,helaysdownasetofcriteriathatthecaseisanalyzed
through.First,isthereawelldocumentedandmacroscopicthreattothecommongood,not
merelyahypotheticaldanger.Second,ifitisawelldocumentedthreatwhataretheoptions

availablethatdonotinfringeuponprivacy?Third,iftheonlyoptionsavailabledoinfringeupon
privacy,whatcanbedonetolessentheinvasivenessoftheintrusion?Lastly,ifprivacyis
invaded,whatarethecountermeasurestodealwiththeaftereffectsoftheserestrictions?I
enjoyAmitaisprotocolonanalyzingcircumstancesforprivacyrestrictions.Hisviewpointon
privacybeingaprivilegedrightistheonlyreasonIbelievethathismethodcanstand.He
essentiallycomestotheconclusionthatinsomeregard,privacywillberestricted.Butitsmore
importanttofocusonthehow,when,andwhy.
AfundamentalissuethatIthinkappliestoAmericansisthethoughtprocessof,Ifmy
informationisprivate,thatisgood.Thatmaybecorrectinalotofcases,butnotall.Etzionis
firsttopic,HIVtestingofinfants,isaprimeexample.Iseeafewcases,whichIwillexplain,and
thenchoosemyfavorite.First,istonotintrudeontheprivacyofthemotherandchild,andnot
conductthetestaltogether.Thiscouldleadtothechildsriskoflifelateron,butprotectthe
mothersinformationintegrity.Secondasabranch,theycoulddothetestandeithertellthe
motherornot.Iftheinformationisdivulgedtothemother,thechildprobablyhasabetter
chanceatsurviving.Ifnot,themotherwillbeunawareofherchildsillness.Ineithercase,the
mothersandchildsprivacyareinvaded.Now,therearemoreunderlyingissuessuchas
medicalrecordsbeingcompromisedforBigBucks.But,ifIhadtochooseacourseofaction,
IwouldagreewithAmitaiandsupportmandatorytestingofHIVininfants,andhavingthe
informationdisclosedtothemother.Withthis,Ibelievethefaultlieswiththesystemthat
encouragesmisuseofmedicaldocuments,anddiscriminationofthosewiththeHIVvirus.

Inbriefreflection,afterjustwriting,Surprisingly,ahumanbeingsprivacybeing
infringeduponcanresultindeath.Iseehowsick,andtwistedthattrulyis.NotonlyamI
statingthatitsincrediblysadthatinformationcanresultindeath,butthatitcametomeasa
surprise.Iamatwentytwoyearoldmanwhohasgrownupinthedigital/informationage,andI
reallyhadnoconceptofhowimportantordangerousinformationcanbe.Etzioniwritesabout
anincidentregardingsensitivemedicalresultsbeingreleasedorliedabout.Hewrote,Thegirl
thenusedtheinformationtocallfemalepatientsandtellthemtheywereinfectedwiththeHIV
virusorwerepregnant.Afterreceivingsuchacall,oneteenagevictimtriedtoobtainherfathers
guntocommitsuicidebeforebeingstoppedbyherfamily.Formost,privacyisadefender
againstshameandembarrassment.Itisatleastinmycase.Ikeepthingsprivate,thatIdonot
wantanyoneelsetoknowbecausetheywillviewmenegatively,oratleastdifferently.Itmay
soundtrivialorirrationaltoalogicalthinkerthatshame/embarrassmentcouldleadtosuicide.It
seemslikesuchatemporaryemotionalconcept,butinrealityaninstanceofprivacybreaching
canleadtoalifetimeofinsecurity.
MegansLaw,isthelawthatrequireslawenforcementtomakeinformationpublicly
availableregardingregisteredsexoffenders.Twoyearsago,justoutofcuriosity,Ichooseto
lookupiftherewereanyregisteredsexoffenderslivingnearmyapartmentinMarina,CA.Ilive
rightbehindabar,andtopasserbymyneighborhoodmaylookalittleseedy.Uponlookingup
thepubliclyavailableinformation,Ifoundthattherewereovertenregisteredsexoffendersliving
closebyatthetime.Thatinformationhaspromptedmetoalwaysthinktwiceaboutthesafetyof
myroommatesandmysignificantotherwhentheyareinthearea.However,nothing(tomy
knowledge)hashappenedtoanyoftheminmyneighborhood.Whichmakesmewanttoask

thequestion,WhatisthecalculableoutcometoMegansLaw?.Howmuchdoesthispublicly
availableknowledgehelp?Woulditbebetterifitwereonlyavailabletolawenforcement?In
theterriblehypotheticalsituationthatasexualassaulthappenedonmylovedones,couldIuse
thispublicinformationforvigilantism?MyopiniononMegansLawisthatitislawenforcements
intenttobetransparent.Butthiscomeswithawholebunchofnegativesideeffects.Hereismy
solution.Theinformationaboutsexualoffenderneedstobecontainedtoonlylawenforcement.
Noticesdontgoouttoneighborhoods,andtheoffendersinformationisnotpubliclyavailable.
Ifanothersexualassaultweretohappeninthearea,obviouslythefirstsuspectstobechecked
wouldberegisteredsexoffendersinthearea.Anyone,atanytime,hasthepotentialtosexually
assaultsomeone.Butbybrandingandshamingsomeoneeverydayoftheirlivesbecauseoftheir
pastbymakingthatpublicknowledgemightbeoversteppingboundaries.
IjustrecentlywatchedthefilmTheMinorityReport.Abriefsummaryisthatinthe
year2054therearethreehumanswhocanseeintothefuture.Soapolicetaskforcecalled
Precrimeiscreatedtostopmurders/crimesbeforetheyevenhappenbyusingthefuture
visions.Now,thehypotheticalclairvoyanceisnotwhatIamgoingtobeanalyzing.WhatIam
goingtobetalkingaboutistwotopicsEtzionicoveredinhisbook,NationalIDcards,and
biometricidentifiers.Inthisfuturisticsociety,fortyyearsfromnoweveryonehasanIDbadge
andtheirbiometricidentifiersaretheireyeballs.Togetintheircars,onthesubway,orjustgoto
worktheireyeballsmustbescanned.Oncetheireyeballsarescanned,theircredentialsare
verifiedandtheymayproceed.IseebiometricidentifiersandNationalIDcardsasoneofthe
mostdangerousBigBrothermethodscurrentlyconceivable.Mynavewayofthinking
currentlyallowsmetoignorantlystate,Youwillonlyknowaboutme,whatIchoosetotell

you.Thescarytruthis,ifmyfingerprints,footprints,eyeballs,andbloodtypearesampledasa
babythenImgoingtobepermanentlyidentifiableinthesystem.Unlessofcourse,Idowhat
anyhumandoesandtrytofindasolution.Thesolutionthemaincharacter(TomCruise)found
inthemovietoavoiddetectionwasofcoursetoremovehisowneyeballs,andhavethem
replaced.AniconicmomentwaswhenTomCruisewalkedintoTheGapandahuge
holographicheadscannedhiseyesonentryandstatedquiteloudlytotheentirestore,
WelcomebackMr.Kurizawa,backtobuymoreblacktanktops?Althoughthisisallextreme
andhypothetical,itdoesgivegoodinsightintowhatwewouldconsideroverstepping
boundariesjustforthesakeofconvenience.
TheauthorofClick,BillTancer,takesdatatoawholeotherlevelbyanalyzingitand
makingconnectionstowardsoureverydaylives.ThismoderndayInternetdataanalystis
somewhatofaherotomenow.Ifeltadeepconnectiontohiswritingvoiceandstyle,especially
whenmakingapersonalconnectiontohiscurrentlivinglocationofSanFranciscobeingsoclose
tomyhometown.However,thefirstthoughtthatcametomymindafterthefirstfewchaptersof
thisbookisaquotemadefamousbythe1668versionofLeviathanbyThomasHobbes,
scientiapotentiaestwhichtranslatesintoknowledgeispower.Inoursociety,IthinkTancer
hasgivenmeinsightintothetruemeaningofthis.Withaquickswap,Icaneasilychangethisinto
atechnologicallyrelatablephraseof,Dataispower.Whichiswhy,whenIhadaclass
discussionaboutwhatdatapeoplewerewillingtohavefreeandaccessibletoothers,Ihadahard
timegivinganyaway.
Thinkingaboutthedatawethinkofasimportantvariesfrompersontoperson.Most
peoplewouldliketokeeptheirnameandaddressquiteprivate.Inmyeyes,alldatacanbe
analyzedandsynthesizedtocreatingaconclusion.Tancerlikedtodothisbywatchingthe

fluctuationsandpatternsofsearchenginequeries.Myproblem,isthatthenaivenotionofsaying,
Well...ifmyanonymityissecuresoamI.Youranonymityisonlysecuretotheextentthata
dataanalystknowseverythingaboutyou,exceptyouruniqueidentifier,suchasanameorsocial
securitynumber.
Illpoisethisethicalquestion,andthenansweritmyself.Ifyouhaveharddata,suchasa
tenyeargraphicalrepresentationofthenewestfads,wouldbuyingstockinaparticular
companywhoisgettinganabsurdinfluxofsearchenginequeriesbeunethical?MarthaStewart
servedtimeforusinginformation(data)thatshewasprivilegedtoandnotmanyothers.Well,asa
computerscientist,ifIcantrackandlayoutapatternoflucrativefads,doesthatconstituteasa
formofinsidertrading?Itoldmymotherafewyearsago,Mom,youshouldhaveaskedmeasa
child,whatispopulartouskidsrightnow.Ifsheaskedmethat,Iwouldhavesaid,Well,
everyoneistalkingabouttheseiPodthings.Mymothercouldhaveboughtanenormousamount
ofstock,andourfamilycouldbesippingonPinaColadasinFijifortherestofourlives,butI
digress.Thepointtobemadeis,aconclusionfromasetofsimplenumberscanchangethevery
liveswelive.
Politicsforexample,shapesourlivesinamultitudeofways.Oursocietalthinkingcanbe
analyzedandusesfororagainstusasapopulus.TancergaveagreatexampleofRonPaulwho
surprisedeveryonewhenhispollsdramaticallyshifted,andanalystsattributedittotheweb
presence.TheInternetisapowerfultool,inmyopiniononeofthemostpowerful.Tancerstated,
The9/11effectdemonstratedthatanattackonAmericansoil,somethingnot
experiencedbymostAmericansintheirlifetimetillthen,whilecausinganoutpouringof
patriotismandinsomecasesvigilantism,couldalsocauseustolookinward.Aneventthat
lefttheentirecountrywithasenseofanger,andsomewiththeneedforrevenge,alsoleft
uswithasenseofemptiness.Aswasdiscoveredintheunusualengagementringsales

figuresfromjewelersacrossthecountry,9/11leftmanywithaneedtoconnectandfind
strengthinoneanotherscompany.
Thisdemonstratesmypointexactly.Jewelry,atopicthatisverydistantfromthetopicof
terrorism,justgaveinsighttothehumanpsyche.Whathappensnext,takesthehumanpsycheand
usestechnologytomanipulateit.
EtzioniwroteHowPatrioticisthePatriotAct,andtoanswerhistitlesrhetorical
question,very.IthinkthePatriotAct,isoneofthemostpatrioticthingstohappeninthiscountry,
itisalsothemostunethicalthingIcanthinkof.AsdefinedbyMirriamWebsterOnline,patrioticis
havingorexpressingdevotiontoandvigoroussupportforone'scountry.SowasthePatriotAct
patriotic?Again,yes,itlaiddownonthelinethatourpoliticswillsupportandprotectwithvery
vigorousdevotionournationandherpeople.Theissueis,whatthepatriotactis,andhowitwas
implemented.
Youdonotneedtoknoweveryonesspecificidentitytogatherthatthe9/11attacks
provokedfearandvulnerabilityofournationthroughInternetdatacollection.Withthis
information,ournationalleadersandCongresswereabletorushandpasslegislationthat
protectedourcountryfromsomethinglikethisterroristattackfromeverhappeningagain.9/11
happenedwhenIwasveryyoung.Ihadbeentravelingtheworldwithmyfamilyonvacations
quitefrequentlyasayoungster,yetitdidnotstrikemeasoddwhentheairportsecuritywas
increaseddrastically.Ididntevenneedtoknowabout9/11oranythingaboutthepolitical
legislationatwork,aslongasIwastold,Youngman,thisisforyoursafetyandyourfamilies
safety.Thisrelatesbacktomypointabouthoweasilyourdaytodaylivescanbechanged
dependingonthepatternsofdataontheInternet.Havingafeelontheenormouspulseofanation
oreventheworldisanunwieldyamountresponsibility,andanunwieldyamountofpower.

9/11andanthraxattacks,werethecatalystthatsetoffahugeamountofdatapatternson

theworldwideweb.Justas,ifDr.Ozrecommendsanutritionalsupplement,suddenlythat
companiesstockexplodes,theirsearchqueriesincrease,andtheymakemillions.Now,thePatriot
Actwasananswertotheterribletragedythatbefellournation.Butwasitanethicallycorrect
answer?Myanswerisno,verypatriotic,butethicallyincorrectbyoursocietiesstandards.The
legislationessentiallygavefreereign,officiallybycourtorder,toinvadetheprivacyofsuspected
lonewolfterrorists.Theissue,isthatthemediaswirledtheinformationandmisleadthenation
tothinkacertainway.Forexample,thatallMiddleEasternhumanbeingsareterrorists.
PoliticianscanusesearchqueriessuchasAreMiddleEasternsterroriststopreyuponthefear
andvulnerabilitythatournationwassufferingfrom.Somuchso,thatwiretapsandillegalsearches
becameOKintheeyesofthemajorityofthecountryaslongasitfellintothecriteriaof
Etzioniscommongood.
TheAmericansCivilLibertiesUnion(ACLU)madeagoodpointbydescribingthe
governmentsnewlegislativeauthorityas,
...aninsatiableappetite,characterizedbygovernmentsecrecy,alackof
transparency,rejectionofequalityunderthelaw,andadisdainandoutrightremovalof
checksandbalances.

BeingAssociatedStudentsPresidentlastyear,myleastfavoritetopicisnow
bureaucracy.Ihateitwithapassion,butIseeitsnecessity.Bureaucraticjargonandmindset
slowswhatneedstobedone,butatthesametimeinsuresthateveryonesvoiceisheard.Idont
caremuchforthelastpart,becauseIrarelycarewhatpeoplethinkunlessitsmindbogglingly
insightful.Buttothatextent,howwillIeverknowifIdontlisten?Well,theACLUmadethe
governmentlisten,andbroughttolifesomeveryterrifyingfacts.Essentially,ifthegovernment
suspectedyouofbeingaterrorist,yourlifewouldchangeveryquickly.Butwhatwouldjustify

suchcriteria?Andhowwouldthegovernmentbeheldaccountablefortheiractions?Not
surprisingly,theansweristhat,theydont.Suspicionisjustasvalidacriteriaforcatchinga
terroristasevidenceisitseems.Forinstance,Igotomylocalhardwarestoreandpickupalotof
fertilizerformygarden,andsomechemicalstocleanmyhousewith.Mostofmyfriendsare
MiddleEastern,andIlivebymyself.Well,guesswhat,somesuitsjustknockedonmydoor,and
Imnotheardfrominacoupledays.Peopleinquireaboutmywhereaboutsandtheonlyresponse
isthat,Thegovernmentdoesnotneedtodivulgeanyinformationonthismatterofnational
security.Thismayseemokwhenlivinginatimeoffear,butthirteenyearslater,somereflection
needstobehad.
Itsbeenabout13yearssince9/11occurred.Aboutayearago,aBostonMarathonwas
bombed,andyetwhenIvisitedtheairportthissummerIcametoasurprisingrevelation.Iwason
mywaytoDisneylandastheTSAusheredmeforwardintosecurity.TheladystoppedmeasI
bentdowntountiemyshoelacesandsaid,Sir,didntyouhearmewhenIsaidyoudidnthaveto
takeyourshoesoffortakeyourlaptopoutofyourbag?.Istaredatherincredulously,andthen
continuedthroughtheeasiestsecuritycheckpointatSanFranciscoInternationalAirportIveever
had.Thisblewmymind,Inolongerhadmyfeetorluggageprivacystrippedinfrontofmultiple
onlookersinthesecuritylinebehindme?Istillhaventdecidedwhetherornotitwasagoodora
badthingthatIdidnthavetodothat.ButIstillunderstoodthattheextentofmyprivacybeing
violatedhadbeenlessened,andIsupposeIwasthankful.AlthoughinretrospectIstillhadtopush
mybagsthroughanXRaymachine,andgetafullbodyscanbeforeproceeding.ButIguessits
allforthecommongood,saidthesheep.

PrivacyhasprovedtobeamoreconvolutedsubjectthanIpreviouslyanticipated.
ManyaspectsItakeforgranted,orshieldmyeyesfromsoIdonthavetoworryaboutthe

negativesideeffectsofmyprivacybeinginvaded.Privacylegislation,andthewayoursociety
reflectsupontheinformationsharedwillbeanongoingandconstantconversation.Aslongas
peoplestrivetonotbesheepthatarepartoftheflock,andmoreliketheshepherdwhohasto
constantlybeawareofthesurroundingdangerslurkingcloseby,peoplewillbebetteroff.With
somecertaintyIcansay,ifpeopleareatleastmoreconsciousintheirdaytodaylivesabout
howtheirinformationisstored,shared,deleted,andmostimportantlyanalyzed,theworldwill
haveabetterchanceatcombattingprivacyissues.

References
ABCNews.(2014).BostonMarationBombingNews.RetrievedOctober11,2014,from
http://abcnews.go.com/topics/news/bostonmarathonexplosion.htm
DepartmentofJustice.(2014).TheUSAPATRIOTAct:PreservingLifeandLiberty.
RetrievedOctober11,2014fromhttp://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/highlights.htm
EtzioniAmitai.(2005).HowpatrioticIsthePatriotAct.RetrievedOctober11,2014,
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Etzioni,Amitai.(1999).Thelimitsofprivacy(Kindleed.).BasicBooks.
Hobbes,Thomas.(1660).TheLeviathan.RetrievedOctober11,2014from

http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/hobbes/leviathancontents.html
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Sensenbenner,James.(March16,2011).FederalBureauofInvestigation.Retrieved
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Sensenbrenner,James.(May11,2011).USAPatriotAct:DispellingtheMyths.
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Tancer,Bill.(2008).Click:Whatmillionsofpeoplearedoingonlineandwhyitmatters
(Kindleed.).HyperionBooks.