Bruce Schneier’s excellent essay on a recent proposal to monitor all Internet communication. He uses the analogy of airline security to make his point. [via Daring Fireball]

Since 9/11, approximately three things have potentially improved airline security: reinforcing the cockpit doors, passengers realizing they have to fight back and — possibly — sky marshals. Everything else — all the security measures that affect privacy — is just security theater and a waste of effort.

I believe Schneier hits the point on the head. When you give up personal liberty for security, you may become more secure from the original threat, but a new threat is created, with the potential of being even more intrusive.

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