To be clear, I don’t subscribe to the idea of “Nothing to Hide.” It’s a bullshit argument. The reason why I’m asking this is because I want to be able to explain why it’s bullshit. I don’t like the fact that many people, including ones in my family, are willing giving up their right to privacy simply because they’ve become accustomed to convenience that modern technology has afforded them. I, myself, have been guilty of these but I’m actively taking steps to take back my privacy and potentially help others as well.
Bonus question: Many people will retort with things “Do you want criminals walking our streets?” or bring up an anecdote about how Flock, Ring or any other surveillance companies’ cameras helped solve a crime or found a missing person. Flock themselves have a blog post series called #SolvedStories where they list so-called “success stories” about their cameras solving a case. Of course, I don’t want criminals walking our streets and, sure, those stories might pull my heartstrings but what’s the bigger picture?
The argument conflates privacy with secrecy. What we want is not to be allowed to “scheme nefariously in secret” but to enjoy ourselves without being watched, in private.
Also: just knowing that you could be watched does change your behavior, even if you have absolutely nothing to hide.
Never thought of that way. We all want security; personal, financial, employment, etc. Parents want their children safe from harm. Thinking of this way, I now realize that companies like Flock are exploiting that desire for security by offering a false hope.
This is called “security theater”