Hats off to you, Nash and Ash. Wait, it was Nadia and Ashley, lol. To answer your question Nadia, it's really quite simple : make sure people are informed about what is going on. Yes, it may appear to happen only in far far away countries (though Ash lives in the USA, so that should give you some idea how irrelevant geographical locations are in cases like this) but as you point out yourself : why wouldn't or couldn't it happen here?
Yes, the data protection regulations in most European countries are tighter and more secure opposed to those in the USA - for now. However, they are sliding as well and each precedent or case that remains unexposed or unchallenged chews off a tiny piece of the privacy and safeguards we have. Take a good look at the map displayed here and draw the conclusions yourself : map of surveillance countries around the world.
When is it too late? Is it when the thought police knocks on your door because you've unconsciously dreamed something that was forbidden? What if you didn't even know it was forbidden because no one could tell you that? Because the information itself was "classified"? Each and every one of us should draw the line where they feel comfortable, however, that is not how it works. Regulations and laws are often reactionary and based upon worst case scenarios that are all to often not even real threats but fabrications of a lobby that sees excellent opportunities to advance and positions themselves.
The best defense is information. Only people that are informed about what is going on and what the repercussions of their choices can be can make correct decisions. Getting fed dumbed down information with a twist depending on who's feeding you the info doesn't count. Right now the monitoring lobby biggest claim is : "if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?" It is a very powerful and aggressive statement, even if it appears to be mellow and harmless. However, if you try answering that question, you'll feel that you are forced to defend yourself, forced to explain why you don't want to be monitored 24/7, and while doing so you sense that you may not be so innocent or such a good patriot as those asking you that question would like.
Next time I see you, I'll bring my copy of "Chatter" along so you can borrow and read it and you'll understand a bit better how essential these questions and choices actually are. The change in climate is not the only thing endangering the quality of life of our species.
To end this - much longer than anticipated entry - I'll leave you all with a statement that may symbolize the importance of electronic snooping and signal intelligence. Ask anyone who's home has been burglarized what's worse : "the invasion of privacy and their home", or "the actual material loss" incurred. Once you have figured that out for yourself, you will see the larger picture and why informing people is so important.
I actually only wanted to post how I feel today, in the form of some lyrics, but I got carried away, lol.
Now this looks like a job for me
So everybody, just follow me
Cause we need a little, controversy
Cause it feels so empty, without me
I said this looks like a job for me
So everybody, just follow me
Cause we need a little, controversy
Cause it feels so empty, without me
(without me - eminem)