2008-07-12

We won’t get fooled again


Lately, many angry columnists in Swedish papers have written about the new FRA-law, which makes it legal for military authorities to listen to civilian communications. Their writings have not so much created a debate, as converted people to hateful rebels who spam the government with protest e-mails.
...[A]s long as you don't write "Bombing, 1800, Stockholm Central Station" in your
e-mail header you'll be just fine.
I, on the other hand, was prepared since this law has been discussed since 2005 (when the previous government ruled the country). People who think this came unexpectedly should think again, although I can agree that the FRA-law has been hushed down a bit, which could be perceived as worrying, but I am not worried and here's why:
What people seem to think is that the government will use information collected from citizens to control us. I am pretty confident that no Gestapo constables will come knocking our doors, angrily pointing at an e-mail which possibly could be perceived as a threat against the nation. Those of you who are afraid of the possible privacy infringements that the new FRA-law leaves in its wake can take a deep breath; they will not read your love letters. Can you imagine how much information is exchanged between people in Sweden? Can you imagine how little manpower (or in this case computer power) FRA really has? They can't even theoretically interpret all this information exchanged between people. This will not be 1984 or any other police-state-oh-my-god-dictatorship movie, and as long as you don't write "Bombing, 1800, Stockholm Central Station" in your e-mail header (which actually a wannabe-rebel, writing in the local paper, suggested everyone should do) you'll be just fine. So please don't get fooled by what this law implicates.

Speaking of fooled; the iPhone (3G version) has now come to Sweden. No need to get too excited though as you will pay around 8 000 SEK ($1 350, £680 or €850) in total. Seems a bit too much for a phone with touchscreen (yes, I hear you Apple fans screaming "it's not just a phone, it's a revolution", but to me it's just another phone).
Have a great holiday and for those of you who didn't get it: We won't get fooled again is one of The Who's best songs.

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