> No one has legal power to change their terms of service governing my data, or issue secret warrants, or extralegal power to outright take my digital property.
I don’t see how this is even close to true. Governments seize property all the time.
I don’t see how this is even close to true. Governments seize property all the time.
When the data lives with Apple or Google, they can just secretly take it, even in bulk. The NSA wire taps on Google and others were a real thing that actually happened. No pesky constitutional protections in the way for the data you freely give to corporations.
In principle, but not in practice. All they need is a witness for probably cause, and once they have your stuff, you aren’t going to get it back without a bankrupting fight, if at all.
If you think the government plays fair in the real world, you might want to have a discussion with a Mr Assange, currently a guest of King Charles III.
> When the data lives with Apple or Google, they can just secretly take it, even in bulk. The NSA wire taps on Google and others were a real thing that actually happened.
The NSA wire taps were ruled illegal. How satisfying.
Also, because I control my technology, and my encryption keys, the constitution gives me one other major protection. The right to not self-incriminate, or, the right to not give them additional rope to hang me with.
No one knows my decryption passwords but me, and no one can compel me to reveal them legally.
It is exactly because the government does not always play fair, as you point out, that every citizen owes it to themselves and each other to limit their power.
Meanwhile you give up all rights and control of your data when you agree to the terms of service of Apple or Google. They will hand over your plain text data without your knowledge or consent if you merely say the wrong trigger phrase.