Google's Eric Schmidt says government spying is 'the nature of our society'

It was the nature of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries to spy on its citizens. We, the United States, were supposed to be better than that. We were, but we're not any more.

It is our choice as developers, creatives, et al to decide if we as individuals will do work that will directly lead to spying on our fellow citizens.

Well, as they say in England, 'He would say that, wouldn't he?'

Someday perhaps all the links between Google and the NSA will be revealed, and we'll find out Schmidt's role in it all.

And the Schmitz is right on this one.

"Our society" always had an incredible desire to know stuff about other people, and the more mundane the better.

"We" are just bunch of nosey aholes, everything from the guy next door, the generic office gossip to the latest b-list celebrity meltdown.

People in government just happen to have both free time and large sums of money.

Given Google's close ties to the State Dept I could see why he feels that way

Google is scared more countries will follow Brazil's lead and demand they host data on their citizens locally. I understand the costs could be big for that, but I almost want it to happen (in EU, too, where it wouldn't need to be in the every country anyway) as punishment to US companies for agreeing with this level of spying, without fighting back much against it, because they thought there would be no consequences to that, and no cost to them.

So yes, I do think they deserve that to happen to them, and as a foreigner I'd feel a lot safer if my data couldn't be accessed at will by the US government. At least I can help change the government in my own country.

Same guy who soundproofed his apartment and doesn't even want a doorman.