Ron Deibert, the head of the prominent digital human rights groups Citizen Lab, sounds the alarm at the Black Hat security conference about the "dramatic descent into authoritarianism," but one that the cyber community can help to defend against.
I disagree, because the more you hide, the more you’re giving into authoritarians and letting them win. Yes, it’s going to be wildly dystopic, but the people running the show are also bumbling fucking morons. I think cowering and deciding to self-censor on the internet is the worst choice you can make, especially now. The more people who are speaking up, the more people they have to come after, which means the more people they have ready to stand against them. Bending over and giving up and hiding from it all is just tantamount to sticking your head in the sand and thinking that will somehow protect you. News flash: It won’t.
the people running the show are *also* bumbling fucking morons.
The morons in and around the White House aren’t the ones running the show. They’re puppets, and the puppetmasters are the Heritage Foundation. And THEY are anything but morons.
As long as we’ve got some vestiges of free speech and free association available to us we need to do what we can to organize and sow the seeds of resistance. They’re not coming for us yet, although I suspect they likely will eventually. But if you’re already too afraid that they’ll be coming for you to do what needs to be done, then they’ve already won. And I don’t think they have. Resistance is the only choice that makes sense. But as you said, it’s just my opinion. I’m allowed to share my thoughts and opinions though, at least for now, and I will do so.
I disagree, because the more you hide, the more you’re giving into authoritarians and letting them win. Yes, it’s going to be wildly dystopic, but the people running the show are also bumbling fucking morons. I think cowering and deciding to self-censor on the internet is the worst choice you can make, especially now. The more people who are speaking up, the more people they have to come after, which means the more people they have ready to stand against them. Bending over and giving up and hiding from it all is just tantamount to sticking your head in the sand and thinking that will somehow protect you. News flash: It won’t.
But that’s just, like, my opinion man.
You’re both right: one doesn’t exclude the other.
The morons in and around the White House aren’t the ones running the show. They’re puppets, and the puppetmasters are the Heritage Foundation. And THEY are anything but morons.
As long as we’ve got some vestiges of free speech and free association available to us we need to do what we can to organize and sow the seeds of resistance. They’re not coming for us yet, although I suspect they likely will eventually. But if you’re already too afraid that they’ll be coming for you to do what needs to be done, then they’ve already won. And I don’t think they have. Resistance is the only choice that makes sense. But as you said, it’s just my opinion. I’m allowed to share my thoughts and opinions though, at least for now, and I will do so.