[labougie]

I know damned well that this will sound defeatist, and I do not intend to diminish the obvious effort being put in but (thank you Margaret and Ronnie) the Corporations have won, money is everything, the individual stands for nothing unless he’s rich, democracy has been sold and laws exist for the repression of the powerless and the protection of the powerful. And it’s NOT going to get any better. A rearguard action over privacy will – even if not over this particular issue – inevitably have to be fought. To that end, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater – I agree that VM, BT and whichever ISPs are arrogant enough to think that data generated my ME is THEIRS as of right should be resisted, but the long-term trend is on their side. Alternatives (TOR, Relakks, DIY) shouldn’t be discounted. In reply to the question “Can you trust them” the answer can only be “more than the alternative”. Spyware technology will run and run. It’s too profitable not to. It’s the way of the future – I don’t like it either, but that’s how it is. Once all of us who had a half-way decent education (and are in some measure able to think for ourselves) have died off, it’ll all be left to the remaining Murdoch-informed population to enjoy – good luck to them! If you think I should change my username to “tin-foil hat” then you haven’t lived as long as I have.