Why metadata isn't harmless....

[Pholus]

A tongue in cheek blog posting mentioned on Slashdot showing how using memberships in various clubs (social networks) could have helped the British root out one of their terrorists -- Mr. Paul Revere

Gets technical, but is a brilliant little toy calculation explaining why this data poses a threat if it is placed into the wrong hands:

http://kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/2013/06/09/using-metadata-to-find-paul-revere/

Slashdot link:

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/13/06/10/1959251/what-can-you-find-out-from-metadata

[Downwinder]

1. The problem is that it misses Dawes and Prescott.

[Pholus]

2. So why does the NSA even bother then?

It obviously doesn't work!

[Downwinder]

3. Sure hasn't stopped the drug flow.

But the cash still flows.

[Pholus]

4. That is a lot of it!

Things that we need to be "safe" like those overpriced, hazardous, ineffective backscatter x-ray machines for one.

This is another!

[defacto7]

5. It already is in the wrong hands.

It has always been in the wrong hands. It should never have existed in the first place. Talking about metadata as is it has somehow been taken out of place or is a protected device owned only by honest and trustworthy organizations is ludicrous to me. It simply should never have existed to begin with and It has always been an intrusive spyware method.

Unfortunately, now it's a Pandora's box.