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3 months ago in Public Policy By Pragati
Can governments actually profit from the tension between privacy and transparency?
In my political theory research, I'm examining how ambiguity in policy can serve state actors. The privacy versus transparency debate seems uniquely useful it's philosophically irresolvable. I'm wondering if governments might consciously or unconsciously leverage this tension to expand surveillance while maintaining democratic legitimacy, or to selectively disclose information for political advantage.
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By Shashank Answered 2 months ago
You can get tactical wins surprise raids, undisclosed surveillance, selective leaks. But framing it as a "war" or a simple ROI calculation misses the point. Sustainable legitimacy isn't built on exploiting the gap; it's built on managing the balance. Trust is the real currency. Short-term information asymmetry might buy you a win. Long-term, it erodes the system. Real ROI comes from institutions people actually believe in.
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By Chris Answered 1 month ago
From my years observing policy implementation, I'd say the benefit is less about conspiracy and more about operational flexibility. When the boundaries of privacy and transparency remain contested, governments gain what I call interpretive discretion they can emphasize transparency when exposing private citizens, and invoke privacy when shielding their own operations. I've seen this play out in FOIA exemptions and surveillance authorization debates. The irresolvability isn't manufactured, but the ambiguity certainly provides maneuvering room that clearer legal boundaries wouldn't permit.
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