Sir Martin Sorrell is seen as a bellweather amongst business commentators. His business empire overstrides elections campaigns in the US and hair care product sales in China. He has clients in almost every business segment, so, when he speaks, people listen. And, to be fair, he's often right.
Today he said that everyone had underestimated Edward Snowden's whistleblowing revelations that the security apparatus in the UK and the US spy on us all and steal data from our accounts, our cameras and our emails. Err, yes..
It has been surprising how little response there has been. There's no one marching in the streets demanding freedom. After Tony Blair and the debacles of Iraq and Afghanistan the people of the UK have given up protesting. If a million people in the streets makes no difference, what will ? Protests are now quiet, insidious and unpredictable. They are leading to extremism and a more polemic world.
And, after all, Sorrell is being disengenious, his company wants nothing more than to profile every individual in the UK and to sell their souls to his clients. So I guess he's just jealous that national governments can act with even more impunity that his own companies.
It all begs the question: when will the lawmakers decide that we own our own data ? Well, not for as long as the pockets of the politicians are themselves beholden to big US businesses and the security services.
How the world goes around and spins us lies. The question is: is Sorrell right and will we do anything about it? I suspect not.
Today he said that everyone had underestimated Edward Snowden's whistleblowing revelations that the security apparatus in the UK and the US spy on us all and steal data from our accounts, our cameras and our emails. Err, yes..
It has been surprising how little response there has been. There's no one marching in the streets demanding freedom. After Tony Blair and the debacles of Iraq and Afghanistan the people of the UK have given up protesting. If a million people in the streets makes no difference, what will ? Protests are now quiet, insidious and unpredictable. They are leading to extremism and a more polemic world.
And, after all, Sorrell is being disengenious, his company wants nothing more than to profile every individual in the UK and to sell their souls to his clients. So I guess he's just jealous that national governments can act with even more impunity that his own companies.
It all begs the question: when will the lawmakers decide that we own our own data ? Well, not for as long as the pockets of the politicians are themselves beholden to big US businesses and the security services.
How the world goes around and spins us lies. The question is: is Sorrell right and will we do anything about it? I suspect not.