[Cialug] I Don't Hate Tikly--a Thoughtful Side-Topic Opinion

[Scott Prader]

So you won't have logfiles to track problems in order to solve them?


On Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 11:09 AM, jim kraai <jimgkraai at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes, Dave.  I'll create a service that does just that without collecting
> any data.
>
> The mind boggles at how we were able to manage before these services.
>
> --jim
>
>
> On Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 6:39 AM, Dave Weis <djweis at sjdjweis.com> wrote:
>
> > So you're volunteering to tally all RSVP's?
> >
> > I think the last use of the service was to get a count of people so you
> > could be provided free food and beverages at a meeting planned, hosted,
> and
> > led by volunteers.
> >
> > I'll be sitting out of the crusade against services that make my and
> > other's life easier without any risk beyond my email address and where
> I'll
> > be Wednesday night.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 2:34 AM, jim kraai <jimgkraai at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > ... but I do hate being forced to use third party services like it.
> > >
> > > This isn't directly Linux related, but it is related to a trend that
> all
> > of
> > > the local technical groups are going in where we're directed to third
> > party
> > > web sites to RSVP or schedule or whatever for events.
> > >
> > >
> > > I recall that government agencies used to be legally obligated to
> adhere
> > to
> > > the following principle:  If data is not required by law to fulfill a
> > > mandated requirement, then it is unlawful to collect it.  This was an
> > > acknowledgement that data:
> > > 1. was expensive to gather (this is no longer true)
> > > 2. was expensive to curate (this is no longer true)
> > > 3. would eventually be misused
> > >
> > > Which led me to ... let's call it Kraai's Maxim:  The reasons for which
> > > data are collected today will not constrain the uses to which it will
> be
> > > put tomorrow.
> > >
> > > Corollary 1:  Those collecting data today are not those who will be
> using
> > > it tomorrow.
> > >
> > > Corollary 2:  It is impossible to anticipate today what uses data will
> be
> > > put to tomorrow.
> > >
> > > Corollary 3:  It should be assumed that all data will eventually be
> > > misinterpreted or misused in unpredictable and possibly in unscrupulous
> > > ways.
> > >
> > > Weak Corollary to Corollary 3:  Data that isn't collected can't be
> > > effectively misinterpreted or misused.
> > >
> > > - By effectively, I mean that it wouldn't stand up under rational
> > scrutiny.
> > >
> > > - By weak, I mean that new data can be interpolated and/or extrapolated
> > > from what data there is depending on the quality of the source data and
> > > what other data sources are corellatable to the source data.
> > >
> > > So, applying the Maxim and Corollaries to tikly:
> > >
> > > (Note that tikly requires first/last name, email address, and a phone
> > > number.)
> > >
> > > Over the years we've learned that eventually, tikly will have an
> > accidental
> > > data spill or exposure, get hacked, and/or sell out.  The only
> > uncertainty
> > > is when that will happen--not whether.  Keep in mind that they can't
> leak
> > > or sell what they don't have.
> > >
> > > Note that if tikly goes under--and there's a 19/20 chance they
> > will--their
> > > most significant salable asset will be that data.  Recent precedent has
> > > shown that prior promises and user agreements will be thrown out so the
> > > investors can have their claims settled partially by the sale of that
> > data
> > > to the highest bidder.  Until something extraordinary happens in the
> > > courts, there's nothing you can do about such a sale or the uses to
> which
> > > that data is eventually put.
> > >
> > > It's a common practice to 'protect our privacy' by putting bogus data
> in
> > > their registration forms.  We need to realize that it's ethically
> > > problematic and potentially illegal to put bad data in a web site's
> > > registration forms.  So that should not be an acceptable long-term
> > practice
> > > for a principled person.
> > >
> > > This is why I prefer to not use third party services that gather any
> kind
> > > of data.
> > >
> > > --jim
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