Originally Posted by
Letters
*sigh*
Obviously I can there is a potential link. You are a patronising arse sometimes.
But surveillance has been in place for decades, online surveillance is new because the internet is new but, so far, it has had no effect on my freedoms. Or yours.
There's CCTV everywhere but I go where I want, online talk is monitored but I say what I want.
COULD it curtail my freedoms? Of course it could, but that would involve quite an oppressive regime which I don't believe we will see in this country.
NQ may claim it's already here but if so then I'd ask again what actual freedoms he is denied as a result of surveillance.
I can't know for sure any more than you can know that it will. I guess that could happen and the direction of travel of some laws in this country are worrying. But in the UK's modern history, stretching back hundreds of years since parliament was formed, we have been a democracy. It's a pretty crappy form of democracy we have but it's a form nonetheless, it's never been an oppressive dictatorship which has curtailed people's freedom of movement or speech. The 'never' may be my ignorance of British history, an admitted weak spot, but certainly not in the last 100 years or so and if anything one could argue we have more freedom now in certain areas - as late as the 60s simply being in a homosexual relationship was illegal. Now they can marry and adopt. There are lots of equality laws in place these days that (in theory) prevent discrimination. I think some of the political correctness has gone too far but I don't see any trend which means I suddenly won't be able to go where I want or say what I want. Unless what I want to say is to scream abuse or threats at people online but I'm not sure people should be able to do that. Obviously there has to be some common sense around that.