PRIVACY IS SECURITY

When it comes to privacy, it is understandable when people try to want to know what’s going on around you. This is because it gives them leverage and makes you vulnerable. This is why I say privacy is security. The more mysterious you are, the more power you have. Information is power and those who understand this will use it to their advantage. I remember when I had to go through a friend’s phone some time ago, and although I did not really go through the chats, the fact that I went through the phone at all caused a big fallout because it was a breach of trust. That incident made me understand the value of privacy and allowing people to live their lives without prying eyes into their business. Life is sweet when no one knows much about you, and this is something even the celebrities we envy can agree on. It is easier to make mistakes in private and correct them, than make those same mistakes in public because almost everyone would have a say in what you did whether or not it is their business.

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The government always craves control, they always want ultimate power, and they know they can stay in control without any obstruction if they can get people to give them access to their private life. I do not believe anything can be traded for privacy, not even security. If there is one thing I know, it is that everyone whose privacy is breached are more prisoners than citizens. A breach of privacy is a breach of our fundamental human right and not even the government has the right to ask us for it. It is the government's duty however to secure every citizen in their country as that is one of the major reasons the government was put in power. It is a duty and we do not need to beg for it. For this reason, no matter why the government would ever wish to gain access to the privacy of its citizens, it is never right. Another thing to look at is the fact that our security is first our business before it is anybody’s business. And with this knowledge, it is safe to have it at the back of one's mind that even after giving access to your privacy, you will not be treated special than you are already being treated by the government and thus can not depend on such promises for your security.

A breach in privacy will cause a lot of chaos, those with money can buy the data of anyone they wish if they have the right connections. No one will be safe, not even the government who wants that power. Because when something as valuable as privacy (which is information) is in the position of someone, they become a target. Even the government will not be as safe as they wish to ensure there are no information leaks as there will be people whose life work will be to retrieve such data from the government. The government will always be on the look out, will always be watching their backs because the slightest slip will mean doom for the whole nation, and you wouldn’t want your data to be among what they are going to be sharing if it should get out.

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