Big Brother Is Listening
Nearly 30 years late by George Orwell’s predictions, we have entered into the era of Big Brother, the fictional character from his sci-fi novel, “1984.” An increasingly Orwellian America scans every exchange in order to quench an endless thirst for information — which brings us to some revelations on the means and methods of the National Security Agency (NSA), the American intelligence agency.
The fight against terrorism and the legal arsenal established by the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks have rendered such abuse possible. But they don’t justify it.
In Berlin, Barack Obama intended to put minds at ease by explaining that the end could justify the means and that it would be necessary to find a good balance between security and rights. But we are considerably past this stage. In a democracy, access to personal data must be controlled and the rights of everyone protected. The history of totalitarianism in Europe is enough to remind us why.
America has to respond all the more seriously to questioning as negotiations advance in preparation for the creation of a large transatlantic market, which will inevitably be under stricter regulations. François Hollande was right to express indignation. But protests from Europeans have their limits: Without sharing American intelligence, it’s hard to see how they would ensure their own security.
The fight against terrorism and the legal arsenal established by the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks have rendered such abuse possible. But they don’t justify it.
In Berlin, Barack Obama intended to put minds at ease by explaining that the end could justify the means and that it would be necessary to find a good balance between security and rights. But we are considerably past this stage. In a democracy, access to personal data must be controlled and the rights of everyone protected. The history of totalitarianism in Europe is enough to remind us why.
America has to respond all the more seriously to questioning as negotiations advance in preparation for the creation of a large transatlantic market, which will inevitably be under stricter regulations. François Hollande was right to express indignation. But protests from Europeans have their limits: Without sharing American intelligence, it’s hard to see how they would ensure their own security.
Next article![]( "They Want To Kill the Watchman and Take the Grapes. However …")
