Dr. Tim Sandle has kindly written in Digital Journal about my thinking on why people are often described, even self-described, as so fatigued about privacy breaches.

For Ottenheimer there are two currents to report on (or ‘general themes’) when looking at public concerns about data leaks. He explains these as: “The first is a rise of apathy and hopelessness that is often found in centrally-controlled systems that use “digital moats” to deny freedom of exit. Should people be concerned if they’re in a boat on the ocean that has reported leaks?”

Expanding on this, Ottenheimer moves things back to the Enlightenment, quoting a conservative thinker: “The philosopher David Hume wrote about this in 1748, in Of the Original Contract, explaining how consent is critical to freedom, and would enable a rise in concern”.

Quoting Hume, Ottenheimer cites: “We may as well assert, that a man, by remaining in a vessel, freely consents to the dominion of the master; though he was carried on board while asleep, and must leap into the ocean and perish, the moment he leaves her.”

In his subsequent analysis, Ottenheimer points out: “If there is no freedom from leaks then you may witness declining public concern in them as well. That’s a terrible state of affairs for people accepting they’re destined to drown when they should be demanding lifeboats instead.”