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A Shocking Prediction on Privacy

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 19, 2007

Half a lifetime ago, when party lines allowed neighbors to know your business, people had no expectation of privacy when making a telephone call.

But as infrastructure improved and private lines became the standard, Americans expected their telephone calls to remain, well, private.

Yet a senior intelligence official recently told the Associated Press that Americans who share information with merchants or on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook should expect less privacy in the future.

"Protecting anonymity isn't a fight that can be won," said Donald Kerr, principal deputy director of national intelligence.

By sharing credit card numbers with online merchants, using PIN numbers to access online accounts or posting personal information on social networking sites, Kerr suggests people are relinquishing their right to privacy. And he suggests that the "two generations younger than we are have a very different idea of what is essential privacy, what they would wish to protect about their lives and affairs."

Kerr's disturbing analysis comes as Congress debates changes to the law that allows agents to intercept telephone calls made between the United States and other countries. Some lawmakers believe more oversight is needed to ensure Americans are not illegally targeted.

Most of us are willing to forego some privacy to prevent an imminent terrorist attack. And most of us understand that law enforcement must move quickly and can't always see a judge first. But to prevent government abuses, agents should have to present their suspicions to a judge within a reasonable period of time.

And just because people post photos online doesn't mean they've invited the government to listen to their phone calls, no matter their age.

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