Just Mining Data

Commenting on  http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/us-intelligence-mining-data-from-nine-us-internet-companies-in-broad-secret-program/2013/06/06/3a0c0da8-cebf-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html?hpid=z1

I wrote

Why do we, as Americans - no, we as distinct human beings, invite "Big Brother" to watch each of us to the extent they are now doing? Surveillance cameras are ubiquitous, all associates, friends, businesses are identified in telephone records, all investigations, studies, inquiries, curiosities, interests, concerns are revealed in computer data. And all are retained and undoubtedly catalogued for whatever use this or another Big Brother (person or ideology) may deem "necessary for state security."

How indifferent, stupid, fearful or calculating have we become to allow this to happen and continue. The government claims that such data helped thwart a terrorist effort. They do not say the data was critical, nor decisive nor anything more than one element relevant to a success. What price did we pay for that one element to keep three, twenty, or five-hundred citizens alive? In my days as a federal prosecutor I sought as much information about a suspect as permitted by law. There was always the desire for more evidence though the case sufficient.

One politician argues the value "as it allows counterterrorism personnel to discover whether known or suspected terrorists have been in contact with other persons who may be engaged in terrorist activities, particularly people located inside the United States.” Yet, if they are dealing with the "known or suspected" the search must be limited to less than millions. If they are "just looking" then there is no reason not to suspect each citizen will have a dossier. Information feeds power. Feel the safety of Big Brother's arms.