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Comment by kitcar | Hacker News Reader

Because they are private banking records - some of the account info released is from private citizens doing nothing illegal (offshore banking is explicitly legal in many countries)

One way to look at it is: how would you like it if it was discovered that a drug lord was using the same bank as you to launder money, and therefore your bank account balances and recent transfers were released to the public, even though you had nothing to do with the drug lord other than storing your money at the same bank?

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Of course there isn't something illegal in using offshore accounts, but why they would put only selected names publicly, while many others remain hidden. What will happen if in those files we find out that there are people working for/related with Guardian and those major news agencies that investigate this case? Are they the new judges? I think if they have such information they should release everything, because they don't have the right to select just a few names and put them on display.

I see no problem at all with my bank account balances being published on the Internet. In Norway everybody's total balance is published by the government. I really find irrational some ordinary people desire to keep stuff like net worth, salary, etc. secret.

This is not an irrational fear, nor a cultural one. It's mostly tied with local laws and rules. For example, the US being such a hotbed for class actions and frivolous law suits, I can imagine that some wealthy individuals would rather keep their balance from lawsuit 'trolls' ... But that is just my opinion

Sure, for the wealthy there are reasons, but not for the 99%.

Let me get this straight, because I don't want to misread you. What you are saying here is the wealthy deserve separate protection under the law and anyone in the 99% should have their records published because they don't "need" privacy?

Nope, where did I say that anything about making new laws? It want matter much anyway as the really rich people and privately hold companies don't keep the majority of their money in own bank accounts.

In Norway everybody's total balance is published by the government. I really find irrational some ordinary people desire to keep stuff like net worth, salary, etc. secret.

Wow, that's horrible. I'm assuming it's some kind of "societal good" social engineering Norway is doing there. But why anybody would think that's a good thing is beyond me.

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