[gmw]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Was there a particular article you were trying to share? The link is to a list of many articles on many topics.

If you look back at some of my previous posts I linked to a few specific articles from Schneier that seemed most appropriate to this topic.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Being expert on security and privacy lends no credence to the notion that privacy should be the default. That part's still just a big ol' opinion. Worth exactly as much as anyone else's.

I cannot assess the worth of posters' opinions here, I know nothing about them, but the vast majority of people when talking on this topic are doing so from a very limited basis of experience and knowledge. Bruce Schneier on the other hand has been involved with security and privacy over a long career. And there are many studies relating to security and privacy, so there is evidence to back up a lot of what he says. Yes, ultimately his opinion is still just an opinion, and not everyone agrees with him on every topic, not even all people similarly well qualified, but it is a very well informed opinion - and informed across many disciplines through his involvement with others in the same field. So I do not accept his opinion is "worth exactly as much as anyone else's" - ignorance is not worth the same as knowledge.

Originally Posted by ApK

Privacy IS the default. You have to give out your info to opt out . Once you do, it's a matter of confidentiality and security, which are not the same thing as privacy in my opinion.
This talk of privacy by default smacks of irresponsible children wanting a nanny state to parent them.
There are circumstances when people should and do have an expectation of privacy, but if they choose to share the private info with others, then that's on them.

First a disclaimer: I've already said right at the start of this thread that not everyone is ignorant of the privacy implications of what they do online.

But so far I've not seen anyone claim that all are fully informed, nor even suggesting that most are well informed - only that the posters themselves are happy with their lot.

And you say there "are circumstances when people should and do have an expectation of privacy", but you don't define them. Is there a list that is universally acknowledged, or might your list differ from mine? And if we don't have an agreed list then how am I to know who I can safely share my information with? Privacy by default solves this.

One problem with the default being a free-for-all is that it is easy for things to escape from what should be more closely guarded. If one link in the ever growing chain believes it does not have to keep the information private then all can be lost. Privacy by default solves this.

And so on. Privacy by default is a simple and would have solved many things ... but it's mostly too late now, only legislation would be likely to have any impact now and effective legislation seems unlikely.