Imagine a world where we all did the right thing. Regardless of whether we could get caught, and possibly prosecuted, for our indiscretions. And regardless of what others may think - we always opted to behave in a manner that would not inflict any emotional pain or physical harm on others.
In this world, there would be no data dumps, confidential information leaks or privacy concerns because people wouldn't have anything to hide.
In this world, we wouldn't find ourselves in the midst of the biggest data leak in history. A leak so substantial it comprises 11.5 million files. Dubbed the Panama Papers, the information details how the rich and powerful have been doing sneaky stuff with their finances.
In this world, we wouldn't be worried that a dozen national leaders are among the 150 politicians and other influential people, including our very own top dog's nephew, who have been hiding their money in offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes. Because, you see, in this world, the people who we vote into power are honourable and upstanding people, looking after our interests rather than their own.
In this world, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) wouldn't have found fame. Because in this world, Assange, Snowden and Manning wouldn't have had any injustices to expose in the first place.
In this world, Assange's brainchild, a whistleblowing Web site called WikiLeaks, wouldn't exist. Former CIA employee Edward Snowden wouldn't have to be hiding in Russia after revealing the intricacies of the National Security Agency's elaborate global surveillance programmes. And Manning wouldn't have just spent her sixth Christmas in prison for an illegal digital data dump of classified Afghan and Iraq "War Logs", exposing what the military has really been up to during the "War on Terror".
In this world, some of the biggest tech companies wouldn't have to be protecting us from prying eyes. One of the globe's most prolific instant messaging applications, WhatsApp, wouldn't have recently enlisted the help of a coder and cryptographer to encrypt every piece of data being sent using the service. In this perfect world, WhatsApp's move to do so wouldn't come on the back of a much discussed legal battle between Apple and the FBI; with the FBI seeking access to information contained on an iPhone belonging to a terrorist.
In a world where we all do the right thing, a Web platform designed to help users have extramarital affairs wouldn't have any users.
Now in an ideal world, Apple wouldn't have to be fighting because the company would be confident the FBI didn't have any sinister intentions with the information. And Apple wouldn't be worried that this government agency would inevitably use this software at a later stage to view private information on the phones of other people.
In a world where we all do the right thing, a Web platform designed to help users have extramarital affairs wouldn't have any users. Because affairs wouldn't exist. In this world, people wouldn't have to fret that the hacking of AshleyMadison.com could reveal the after-hour slaps and tickles they've been enjoying in cheap hotel rooms. And people in the public eye would be able to share intimate pictures with their partners without fear of having their devices hacked and having private photos shared for all the world to see.
Can you imagine a world where we don't deceive those who depend on us or lie to those who trust us or steal personal information from others? A world where we think twice, even three times, about how our actions/words will affect others and behave accordingly.
Can you imagine a world like that?
Me neither.
* A former ITWeb journalist, Joanne Carew now resides in the Mother City, where she is admiring the mountain and completing her Masters studies at UCT.
Share