As far as I'm concerned, privacy is a top-tier form of security. No matter how close someone is to a person, as long as we are humans, our safety is not guaranteed once we involve a third party in our secret affairs, no matter how much the other person agrees to be discreet.
I won't lie, I've been found guilty of sharing ideas, stories, or chats that I was told to keep secret. The moment I let these details out, I wasn't intentionally trying to hurt the person who trusted me with those secrets; I just shared them. Most of the time, I would realize immediately after sharing that I had just exposed someone's secret, and I would feel bad at that moment. But after a while, I would wave it off with the mindset that as long as I didn't hurt anyone by sharing it, I shouldn't feel bad about it. However, even though I may not have directly hurt the person by sharing such information, I can't guarantee what the people who hear it will do with it. They may not act on it immediately, but they may harbor those thoughts in their minds, and if it's something extremely sensitive, it could create a negative perception.
This same principle applies in a situation where we are to give up our privacy to the government so they can protect us better. It may appear to be a good idea because they are expected to enhance our safety, but there will be conflicts, a series of them, if not properly handled. Even at that, a very harmless idea, act, or conversation could be interpreted negatively by the government, leading to unnecessary restrictions on one's life, as is currently seen in some areas, such as bank transactions. I remember a particular day when I accompanied an uncle to the bank to collect money that had been transferred to him from abroad via Western Union. He was interrogated before he could receive the money because the bank suspected it might be fraudulent. While this may seem like a good measure to keep society safe, it could cost lives if it becomes too rampant. Imagine a situation where this money is needed to pay a hospital bill for someone who is dying, and the government seizes the money because they are unsure of its source.
If the government has access to everything in my life, it means they will also have access to my secret passwords. But what is the essence of a password if the government has access to it? We might as well stop using passwords altogether and let everyone have access, assuming the government will always be watching, tracking, protecting, and preventing unauthorized individuals from misusing the information.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to Week 212, Edition 01 of the Weekly Featured contest in Hive Learners Community