neither can the Govt if you've not broken the law

The Government is also extremely unlikely to even notice what data it has on the average Joe.

Whereas the average private company is extremely liklely to not only notice it, but exploit it for its own commercial ends. And once it has rinsed your data for all it is worth, it will sell it on to other private companies who will do the same.

I have the misfortune to have to negotiate contracts in the data exploitation sphere and there is no limit to what private companies can and will do with your data (and your internet and shopping habits etc could be going global in terms of where it is held and processed).

It amuses me to see everyone getting their knickers in a twist over what the intelligence agencies could theoretically have access to, whilst being completely blase about what private companies do actually access and use. At least the government generally has out best interests at heart. Ultimately private companies only care about the botom line.

It's doubly amusing to me as my old man is ex-GCHQ so I know that they don't have the resources to do even a fraction of what people are worried about them doing.

Posted By: CWC, Jun 11, 13:06:14