Security expert Bruce Schneier writes a fantastic essay on the value of privacy. This is a great response to the rhetorical question “If you aren’t doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?” often used to counter privacy advocates.

A couple key points he makes.

Privacy protects us from abuses by those in power, even if we’re doing nothing wrong at the time of surveillance.

…

Too many wrongly characterize the debate as “security versus privacy.” The real choice is liberty versus control. Tyranny, whether it arises under threat of foreign physical attack or under constant domestic authoritative scrutiny, is still tyranny. Liberty requires security without intrusion, security plus privacy. Widespread police surveillance is the very definition of a police state. And that’s why we should champion privacy even when we have nothing to hide.

It reminds me of this political cartoon in the paper today.

What do terrorists hate?

via the Washington Post