How can this be good?

[Damon Lynch]

From the Register: Adobe spies on readers: EVERY page you turn, EVERY book you own leaked back to base. The article discusses Adobe Digital Editions 4. Incredibly, researchers have found this program "wasn't just collecting this data for its own ebooks, but was also scanning the host computer for all ebooks that are stored and sending back information on those as well."

Like so many, I use Adobe products very extensively in my photographic work. I also make heavy use of tools like Acrobat in my academic work. In neither of these domains do I want Adobe or any other company monitoring what I work on or what multimedia files I have on my computer systems. I hope we can take it for granted that this possibility would never cross the minds of those at Adobe responsible for the tools we use, in the same way it apparently already has for the ereader program.

I do realize that automated systems constantly monitor what we write and share, e.g. Gmail, Facebook, etc. One may ask: what difference is there between Google analyzing the content of my emails so it can match my attention to that of its advertisers' campaigns, and a possible world where Adobe analyzes the content of my photos to generate a unique profile about me that is commercially useful? Are they really that different? That's a genuine question. I need to think more about why I don't really mind that Google analyzes my emails, but I do mind if any company analyzes my photos or academic work!

Edit: Ars Technica discusses it too

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Perhaps the difference is that we know that when sending emails we are sending data out, into thin air, unknown, world wide space, and that anyone and anything can and possibly will intercept it. Just as letting a balloon go up, we lose control of what might happen to it. We do not have the same expectation for data on our computers. Those we treat as part of our "my home, my castle," where any intruder might be shot on the spot (well, only in some states though).

[Damon Lynch]

I think you're right Slobodan.

[petermfiore]

Perhaps the difference is that we know that when sending emails we are sending data out, into thin air, unknown, world wide space, and that anyone and anything can and possibly will intercept it. Just as letting a ballon go up, we lose control of what might happen to it. We do not have the same expectation for data on our computers. Those we treat as part of our "my home, my castle," where any intruder might be shot on the spot (well, only in some states though).

Spot on!!!

Peter

[shawnino]

Slobodan's point is well made.

I also know I have some latent animosity toward Adobe in re: the whole creative cloud thing. And that also goes back to me wanting to keep my stuff on my drives.

[RSL]

With creative cloud you DO keep your stuff on your own drives.

[deejjjaaaa]

With creative cloud you DO keep your stuff on your own drives.

but you need to be in touch w/ Adobe servers on a more regular basis than w/o it.

[RSL]

True, it's a potential problem if you plan to retire in the middle of the Amazon basin.

[Benoite]

I have almost lost all hope to find a way to have any software installed on my computer and any kind of online presence without being scanned, traced, databased and who knows what else. Every company seems to be collecting more data now, and if not, goverment agencies will do it anyway. And probably sell that data at some point.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Having read Thomas Pynchon's 'Gravity's Rainbow' a number of times I always find it useful to refer back to this:

Proverbs for Paranoids:
1. You may never get to touch the Master, but you can tickle his creatures.
2. The innocence of the creatures is in inverse proportion to the immorality of the Master.
3. If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers.
4. You hide, they seek.
5. Paranoids are not paranoid because they're paranoid, but because they keep putting themselves, f**king idiots, deliberately into paranoid situations.

I particularly like #3.

Alan

[Alan Klein]

After another illegal charge to my credit card, I changed all my alerts so that I get an immediate message to my cell phone any time a charge is made on it.  I've also set up alerts when ever a check or transfer is processed against my checking account.

[Alan Klein]

Oh, also with ATM machines.