- TalkBack 26 of 28:
- Next »
- « Previous
- Thread View
- Flat View
- Try to look at it from a non-US perspective
-
There is an old saying that the US and UK are two nations divided by a common language. I think we (and the rest of Europe) also take fundamentally different views on the issue of personal data privacy.
I find that companies and individuals in the US take a very lax view on data protection. The ethos seems to be that you trust people with your personal data until they prove they cannot be trusted. We on the other hand demand that organisations (and governments) justify why they should hold personal data about us as individuals before we willingly hand it over.
Our reasons are simple: we have seen too many instances where aggregation of personal information has been used to our detriment. The worst example is obviously the use of Hollerith card sorting machines by the Nazi regime in Germany to collate groups of individuals, but there are others.
The problem of course that it is too late if the other party proves to be untrustworthy
I do find the US view a bit mystifying as well. Considering that the US population seems to have a very healthy scepticism about the motives of its government when it comes to data, why do trust commercial entities so easily?
Do you really believe that the likes of Google have your personal interests at heart? Surely, its the interests of their shareholders that are being served.
Gareth
- Posted by: garethhowell Posted on: 07/14/09 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
What do you think?
SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads
- The Impact of Virtualization Software on Operating Environments VMware Today's use of virtualization technology allows IT professionals to ... Download Now
- Five Steps to Determine When to Virtualize YourServers VMware Server virtualization isn't just for big companies. Entry-level ... Download Now
- Why Isn't Server Virtualization Saving Us More? A Few Small Changes May Dramatically Increase Your Efficiency VMware Companies have rapidly adopted server virtualization over the past few ... Download Now
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- Save time with automated shipping solutions
-
The Business Essentials Guide provides you useful tools and templates to help grow your business and save you time with automated shipping solutions.
- Visit the UPS Business Essentials Guide
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Reduce risk. Reduce complexity. Increase reliability.
-
A simplified IT environment isn't just less complex. It's also more reliable. Standardize on a single Linux platform with SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, and get the world's most interoperable Linux
- Learn more >>
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
SmartPlanet
- Thought-provoking progressive ideas on diverse topics that intersect with technology, business, and life, and matter to the world at large. Visit SmartPlanet
- More from IBM
-
- How to Drive Better Business Outcomes with Exceptional Web Experiences Download the eBook
- Driving Business Agility through SOA Connectivity & Integration Read the White Paper from IBM
- Linking Decisions and Information for Organizational Performance Read the Tom Davenport study
