By Jamie Neben

There’s an old Beatles tune that states “everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey.”  I wonder how either the man or monkey would feel about simply handing over their personal information anyway, especially without their knowledge or consent.  I am all for creating and using new technologies to gain efficiencies whether they are for personal, corporate, or government use.   But many of them not only assist us in certain ways, they also interact with other systems that collect and store our data.  As such, how does each improvement affect our expectation of privacy?   How much privacy do we deserve?  What kinds of records should be maintained, and who should control them?  Finally, what happens when the intrusion into our lives goes further than what we agreed to?

We learned some time ago that the George W. Bush administration performed warrantless wiretapping activities following the 9/11 attacks that violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  Now, a new internal government report shows evidence that the illegal actions did not stop there.  The details are still classified at the moment but I, for one, will be very anxious to receive more updates when they become available.   I cringe at the thought that perhaps a spy satellite peeked into my window one night after hearing “Peace Train” blaring through my speakers.   Some people make the argument that catching bad guys is worth giving up a civil liberty or two.  However, we must remember that our country was founded on our freedoms, and to lose them now would negate the efforts of everyone who fought and died for them.

Listening in on phone calls and rummaging through emails is small potatoes compared to RFID documents—identity documents with radio chips planted in them—that have been circulating around in the form of passports, driver’s licenses, and so forth.  Sooner or later, we will all be required to carry them for one purpose or another.  Never mind the potential for criminal wrongdoing to access information.  What about the possibility of tracking our every move down to the square foot we stand on?  That doesn’t seem like any measure of privacy to me.  In fact, it reminds me of a passage in the book of Revelations about the mark of the beast.  To that end, I wouldn’t be surprised if humans are someday implanted with chips upon birth.  Maybe that is a far-fetched scenario, and maybe these RFID’s are only going to be used for verification like we’re told.  Maybe not.

In this whole discussion, I cannot help but recall the wise words of Benjamin Franklin.  He said “those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  That sentiment is as relevant today as when he spoke it.  To act otherwise would make monkeys out of all of us.