Comments on: Do Certain Citizens Deserve More Online Privacy? http://siliconangle.com/blog/2009/08/17/do-certain-citizens-deserve-more-online-privacy/ Computer Science meets Social Science Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:10:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew http://siliconangle.com/blog/2009/08/17/do-certain-citizens-deserve-more-online-privacy/comment-page-1/#comment-839 Andrew Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:12:04 +0000 http://siliconangle.com/ver2/2009/08/17/do-certain-citizens-deserve-more-online-privacy/#comment-839 I used to be much more cynical about police. For one, my libertarian leanings would rather have an armed citizenry protecting themselves, since police don't arrive until -after- one makes a report or a 911 call. But like it or not, we have professional police officers. They have a tough job. Could I do it if given the chance? Maybe. Would I worry about my personal information being accessible? You bet I would. I'm a fairly public person online. As a journalist, I sort of have to be. But if my job involved taking away people's freedom against their will, I would probably have second thoughts about being as accessible as I am. These people have families. And I don't think anyone with half a brain and some compassion can understand why some law enforcement may overreact when they see their names and pictures out there, especially since many police aren't exactly Web 2.0 savvy. Did GoDaddy screw up? Hell, yes. Should police DEPARTMENTS be more transparent? Hell, yes. But should we give individual officers the benefit of the doubt when it comes to protecting their privacy? Again, hell yes. These people put themselves out there when they go to work. They deserve some piece of mind when they go home. I used to be much more cynical about police. For one, my libertarian leanings would rather have an armed citizenry protecting themselves, since police don’t arrive until -after- one makes a report or a 911 call.

But like it or not, we have professional police officers. They have a tough job. Could I do it if given the chance? Maybe. Would I worry about my personal information being accessible? You bet I would.

I’m a fairly public person online. As a journalist, I sort of have to be. But if my job involved taking away people’s freedom against their will, I would probably have second thoughts about being as accessible as I am.

These people have families. And I don’t think anyone with half a brain and some compassion can understand why some law enforcement may overreact when they see their names and pictures out there, especially since many police aren’t exactly Web 2.0 savvy.

Did GoDaddy screw up? Hell, yes. Should police DEPARTMENTS be more transparent? Hell, yes. But should we give individual officers the benefit of the doubt when it comes to protecting their privacy? Again, hell yes. These people put themselves out there when they go to work. They deserve some piece of mind when they go home.

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