You have to look out for yourself
Facebook, Edward Snowden and AR-15s all have something in common. Americans are always so shocked to find out what is going on in the world. Snowden told the world about NSA spy programs. Cambridge Analytica told the world about all the info they got from Facebook and used to gauge voters in the 2016 presidential election. AR-15s are being used to murder innocent children in schools on a regular basis.
Is it surprising that the U.S. cannot get any real legislation passed even after all of these "mishaps?" Get real.
Surely, Facebook is using our data in the sole interest of making our Facebook experience better. How naive can we get? And how technologically illiterate are our lawmakers? Americans and the rest of the world need to stop being so foolish and learn how to read. Read the news, laws and especially the terms of service that we too often skip because we are smart enough not to read that boring bunch of legal lingo that doesn't apply to us anyhow. Not until we start reading again will we stop this ridiculous reaction of disbelief every time something "unthinkable" happens.
Technology isn't always used for good. In fact, it's often weaponized before it's ever commercially available. For now, it's just Facebook and their breaches of privacy. But what happens when it's artificial intelligence that is weaponized and used against us? Congressional hearings won't save us then.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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