The End of Privacy?

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The former privacy officer of Internet advertising giant DoubleClick will be the Department of Homeland Security's first privacy czar, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced today.

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Full article here.

Does this mark the beginning of the end for privacy, not only on the Internet but as a whole? The director of privacy at DoubleClick, a company which has become infamous for their constant use of cookies to track users web viewing habits, has now become the "Privacy Czar" of the United States.

Do you think this was a good choice for the Homeland Security Department, or is this yet another sign of the impending apocalypse?

Well, I'll play Devil's Advocate.

Just like a Hacker may make the best Security Officer because they know the tips, tricks, tools and techniques used by hackers to break in, this guy may make the perfect Privacy Czar because of his knowledge.

Doubleclick is notorious for being one of the companies that invades privacy the most so this guy may have significant "inside" knowledge of the tips, tricks, tools and techniques used by companies such as Doubleclick and be able to defend against them better.

Of course, he may also have some sort non-compete clause that prohibits him from using or sharing his inside knowledge for some duration of time.

Just some thoughts.

He is a heck of a lot better then our last "privacy Zar" Regan the man who lied to congress about sendign money to Iran and got off on a technicality that the money was still in transfer.