Hmmmm. So Google is lobbying for CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. This particular gem is a proposed US law which, in a nutshell, would allow Internet traffic information to be shared between the US government and technology and manufacturing companies. The official aim of the bill is to help the former investigate cyber threats and ensure the security of networks against attacks.
This is all very noble, at least until it comes to my employer, and yours, being able to demand your Facebook password which as I understand it they most assuredly will be able to do under CISPA. Rather Orwellian, that. Don’t know about you, but I call it “invasion of privacy” rather than “necessary or sensible policing”. Still, it comes as no surprise that Google is pro-CISPA. After all, what is Google’s business model based on if not selling your privacy?
There’s a neat little symmetry going on here; a sort of moral self-validation if you like. Google supports the government and employers’ invasion of your rights as it’s rather consistent with the company’s own beliefs. And once its inherent amorality has been, well, sanitized (assuming CISPA is passed), Google will be able to go its merry way basking in the cleansing glow of official policy (sort of).
Don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think the time has come to uninstall Chrome, sell the Android Phone, move off G-mail and start proactively thinking about which search engine I use. Or else watch my individual rights wash down the seven plugholes of Google. No one needs unwarranted paranoia. Google is starting to look like a warranty for conspiracy theorists everywhere.
