Implications of NSA on Design

"America's top cyber-warrior asks hackers for help"

After reading this news story, I am - once again - worried of the big picture impacts upon the privacy and security of every individual person; both abroad and local.

Specifically, I am addressing the impacts toward Creative thought and Open Expression that are the hallmarks of Graphic Designers and every citizen.

If the private sector - that is us - and the Government - local, state and federal - are allowed to share information more freely between each other without some form of restriction or protection then a number of significant problems open up.

(1) Undue burden - meaning unnecessary or wrongful - would be placed on individuals or groups.

(2) A person's specific and unusual habits could be taken out of context, however slight, and cause  
      wrongful arrest by assuming the next actions of that person, "knee-jerking" - especially when that
      person has not broken any laws to begin with.

(3) The artist's satirical - or constructive - response may be seen as "offensive to
      [insert focus here], and must be removed to prevent [shielded subject or focus]".

(4) Most worrying: Our works, online presence and business could be hi-jacked, and our reputations
      permanently damaged - this includes all forms of intellectual property under our names. If
      "personally identifiable information" is heavily leaked, then so are the chances of protecting
      our futures.

Even with all account and website settings set to "Fort Knox", any information placed on the internet needs to be thought of as Public Record for perspective purposes and restricted accordingly - unless there are clear reasons to go beyond that.

Personally, I recommend all settings at "Fort Knox" initially and carefully loosening the restraints as it becomes easier to mentally track what has been posted - in this light you are better able to respond when something does happen.

Reference:

Paul Wagonseil, SecurityNewsDaily Managing Editor. "America's Top Cyber-Warrior Asks Hackers for Help". Security on NBCNEWS. NBC News, 2012 - July 27. Web. 2012 - July 30.

< http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48364419/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/americas-top-cyberwarrior-asks-hackers-help/ >