When future generations look back at 2016, what will they think? That, in an age of unprecedented connectivity we’re taking great strides in creativity and freedom with the digital age an outlet for individual expression? Or, more likely, that the vast majority of us were simply fools, sleep-walking our way into digital slavery mindlessly accepting the erosion of our liberties and privacy without even realising it? Unless we make a stand today, I fear it’ll be the latter.
Regular readers will know that I grew up in East Germany under the constant watch of the Stasi. My experiences during that time of my life mean I know exactly what it’s like to live under the oppression of a surveillance state. Although many people, in the Western world at least, feel such times are behind us, the sad truth is that we’ve never been closer to that same point since the wall came down. In fact it’s probably going to be much worse.
But no longer are nation-states, such as the UK ushering through its Snoopers Charter, trying to watch, keep-log and intervene with our daily lives online alone, the Internet stalwarts, such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft, are also actively bluffing the public for profit. Happily cashing-in through the mass collation and selling of our private data, these companies perpetuate the myth that we’ve never had it so good. In fact, they even claim to have the public’s back in the battle against ‘back door’ encryption. Clear hypocrisy.
In light of this fierce debate, on Monday, March 14th at 3pm CT at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Open-Xchange will be presenting the findings of the 2016 Consumer Openness Index, the second in an annual survey examining the web habits of Internet users in the U.S., Germany and UK. We’ll be joined by a panel of privacy experts at the Passcode booth as we unearth the real home-truths of today’s online world at our “Free the Internet” forum.
This year’s Consumer Openness Index turns the privacy debate on its head through the most thorough investigation and analysis to date.
A continuation of our initial report, launched at SXSW last year, we delve even deeper to see how Internet usage is evolving and ask users to explain their online behavior. We’ll address key questions including: Are the “back doors” in encrypted networks proposed by governments ever justified? What impact will the outcome of the U.S. presidential election have on the Internet freedoms of Americans? Is the public aware that its compliance with the status-quo is destroying its self-determination and that of their children and future generations? And, in Europe, what’s the next step towards an open future following the invalidation of Safe Harbor?
Sure to be a highlight of this year’s schedule at SXSW, make sure to put the date in your calendar today. Likewise, if you’re at the convention and interested in setting up a meeting with us at the show please reach out to ox(at)harvard.co.uk.
In the meantime, if you want to get ahead of the debate, it’s worth checking out a copy of the 2015 Consumer Openness Index to understand just how far businesses and governments have already crossed over the line of ‘acceptable’.