2/24/2010
A fascinating discussion about the new book The Watchers; The Rise of the Surveliance State in America that profiles the people behind the the government's efforts to use technology to fight crime and terrorism. Most notably the belueagued Total Information Awareness creater John Poindexter. It's a fascinating conversation that is actually sympathetic toward Poindexter and casts TIA in a new light.
Also of note is the (somewhat obvious) point that TIA still exists under various names, and how influential the disgraced Poindexter remains in D.C.
As a bit of a technological Utopiast myself I understand Poindexter's impulse to rely on a few line of code to strike the right balance between an all-seeing government surveillance system and individual liberty. But that's the gap between reality and Utopia tends to be wide.
Also of note is the (somewhat obvious) point that TIA still exists under various names, and how influential the disgraced Poindexter remains in D.C.
As a bit of a technological Utopiast myself I understand Poindexter's impulse to rely on a few line of code to strike the right balance between an all-seeing government surveillance system and individual liberty. But that's the gap between reality and Utopia tends to be wide.
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