The meeting had just started and the city council members sat round the cresent table, the citizens in the audience.
“But I get to read everything a pencils writes because what if the owner of the pencil writes something bad? I get to see everything a pencil draws because what if the owner of the pencil draws something bad? I get to open every letter because what if the sender of the letter sends something bad?”, said Plinko the councilman.
“I’m in the boss and it’s for safety that I get to see and read everything everyone does!”
“Ok”, said Proyo one of the other councilmen, “Then I get to do the same and I will go into your house anytime I want because as you said, what if you are doing something bad? Because how is it different?”
Plinko was offended and retorted, “I get to invade your privacy but you don’t get to invade mine! It’s for safety!”
“Well, since you are a council member, and you have some political powers then if it’s for safety, then shouldn’t you be more open than less?”
“Reading what the pencil writes, or draws, or reading the letter that is sent is no different than entering your home, reading your diary and your home.”
“If I entered your home and read your diary or enter at night when you are asleep and most vulnerable or if I read your notes about what you believe and where you go and how you feel where I can use that information, where I can use that access to my advantage, what’s the difference? There is none.
“By accessing a vulnerable part of your life either in your home or through your diary of data, I could harm you in both cases. The only difference is that in the stealing of data I could schedule a time to the harm.”
“But but but if I don’t know the deeply private intimate details of peoples lives they would harm me!”, Plinko said.
“I’m not the most upright person but I’m not worried about people harming me because I look out for them. You give them reasons to want to harm you by your invading their privacy, by being selfish and negligent. If you were doing your job you wouldn’t worry about people out to harm you.”, said Proyo.
“A friendly guy or friendly society doesn’t need to lock their doors and be suspicious. A bully does. If you were looking out for people and doing your job and not stealing through your taxes, people would have their needs met and not have reasons. You wouldn’t need to lock your doors.”
“You have to create a world where people don’t want to do crime or harm, Plinko”
“Look at that pencil in your hand. A pencil is a function of a pencil not a pencil plus a data logger. A paintbrush when sold is a function of a paintbrush not a data stealer. An app is the function of that app not an app plus data logger. An operating system is the function of an operating system not an operating system plus a biometric data logger (yes hardware companies are reading biometrics for all activities while you do them).”
“But as council member I’m more morally superior than others and…”
“No you’re not. You’ve been proven to have less ethics. But scientific studies have shown that there is no brand of man that has more integrity than another. In the case of Apple store employees stealing peoples data versus independent store employees stealing peoples data there was no difference. They were both at fault. (true story)”
“What is an Apple store employee?” said Plinko.
“Plinko, if someone entered your home, our laws state that you have a right to defend yourself to the death. You can kill the home invader right?”
“Yes, our laws state that.”
“But why do they state that Plinko?! WHY!??!”
“Because they invaded my privacy, my space. And I don’t know why they are there. And I would be in a much more vulnerable position where they would have an advantage so much so that they could kill me.”
“Now you’re getting it, Plinko.” (J.Nickleson nodding meme)
“When companies or states look at the data warehouse of your mind or expression of your pencil (or devices) they get the details about your life that they can use to harm you or manipulate you or anything. It is a mind home invasion.”
“But they said they were good!”
“Plinko you dinko. So if someone broke into your home and they were taking pictures of everything you own or had would you believe them if they said they were doing good? Would you trust me if I was taking pictures of you in your bathroom and listening with a microphone?”
“But you’re the good guy! You wouldn’t do that. And also, that’s disgusting!”
“You don’t know that I would always be trusting with your data. When you put up that fence last year that knocked down my trees I was so upset in that moment. If I had access to your data I don’t know what I would have done. If you can’t trust that I would have integrity 100% of the time then how can you trust anyone else, with anyone else’s data. You can’t. You don’t have a right to be in my house or look at my data and I don’t have a right to be in your house or looking at your data. Let the universe bring things up that need to be brought up.”, Proyo continued.
“But it doesn’t matter if the data collector is deemed good or not, those same home invaders are selling your data, your pictures of your family, those notes of your life to hundreds of different companies for money, who you don’t know what they are going to do with it or if they like you or not. Doesn’t matter if they’re good or moral. It’s still home invasion.”
“What you’re arguing for, Plinko, is to allow Digital home invasion. It’s home invasion only digital. And as in a real home invasion, every right you have to prevent that from happening and protect yourself in the real world should be applied to the digital world.”
“But I think I’m better than, maybe not you, but other people and citizens. I was chosen and I want to know private intimate details of their lives. …I’m not a digital stalker! I have other excuses to digital home invasion blah blah blah.”
“Ok Plinko, well, the people have told me that you are invading their privacy so I’m putting a curse on you. The Plinko Curse. And I’m putting curses on those companies and states and employees at those places that do digital home invasion. They have one day grace period to stop.”
“Curses aren’t real Proyo.”
“They aren’t?”
“Don’t you put that evil on me! You get back here! You take that back!”
