General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: My Life in Circles: Why Metadata is Incredibly Intimate [View all]JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)But they're never going to get it.
Once some one decides that the "analysis of meta data = spying", there's little hope.
I've tried to explain that the records the phone companies keep are THEIR records, not OUR personal data. I've pointed out that depending on who your phone company is, you PAY THEM to provide you a list of who you called and for how long. Nothing says "not mine" more than having to purchase it. They still don't get it.
They don't get that the analysis of meta data is neither good, nor evil. Its just a technique that has been used by scientists since science itself began.
They also get confused because they think that the analysis of the meta data associated with a specific individual is the same as the analysis of meta data associated with large groups or populations. The NSA has to get different types of warrants for those 2 uses of meta data. But good luck explaining that difference to the folks who don't (or intentionally won't) understand the difference.
And then articles like the one on the OP help increase their confusion. The article correctly notes that the meta data about YOU can be used to find out a great deal about you. But to be allowed to do that type of analysis, the NSA needs a warrant that is specific to you.
The media has a vested interest in all this ... outrage generates eyeballs ... and the term "meta data" is boring ... but "spying" is scary.