Why I am with Apple on Privacy
Author: Kenneth ([email protected])
Published: Sunday March 7, 2021
My friend Jonathan Koh shared a link on Facebook to a post on INC.COM. Here is why I am with Apple on Privacy.
Why is privacy important?
Privacy is the ability to control who can access information about our private life and our activities.
Privacy is important because:
- Privacy gives us the power to choose our thoughts and feelings and who we share them with.
- Privacy protects our information we do not want shared publicly (such as health or personal finances).
- Privacy helps protect our physical safety (if our real time location data is private).
- Privacy helps protect us as individuals, and our businesses, against entities we depend on or that are more powerful than us.
- Privacy is tied to Freedom…. Could we really be free – and have free will – without Privacy?
About 5 to 10 years ago, I started having thoughts that the Singapore government is spying on its citizens. Up till today, I still need to see a doctor for this. To me, privacy rights prevent the government from spying on people (without cause)! The government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, but it often crosses the line when it comes to surveillance. In 2013, Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the NSA’s spying program, bringing the issue of privacy into the spotlight. The balancing act between national security, freedom of expression, surveillance and privacy rights is tricky. It’s generally agreed upon that if the government doesn’t have a reason to spy on someone, it shouldn’t. No one wants to live in a Big Brother state. Governments and big organizations are powerful and can harm the little ones, this should be prevented.