BY: Moses Jenkins
I conducted research on a encryption software which I believe could have potential future implications. One product that I discovered is an app called The Silent Circle. Basically, the name of the application The Silent Circle provides somewhat of a foreshadowing description of the service it provides. In layman's terms, The Silent Circle app allows the user to create a network that is essentially silent from the cloud. Messages exchanged across the users protected network are automatically encrypted; in contrast to most established social networks which do not provide adequate measures that reasonably protect consumer data from unwanted third parties. My thoughts on this technology stem from dialogues about the protection of privacy verse invasion of privacy that are current and important for our generation.
In July of 2014, the Brookings Institute published a report titled "10 Inventions That Could Change the World" and Ultra-private smartphones which use the Smart Circle technology made their list. (http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2014/06/10-mit-techreview-2014) The application also was praised by MIT tech reviewers recognizing the value of data encryption in an information era. I acknowledge that these institutions consistently provide credible insights, yet I am still reserved about my opinion on Silent Circle technology.
In brief, I believe that this application has a variety of uses across many industries. Some of the potential users for this product are detailed by Forbes staff writer Parmy Olson in her 2013 article titled "Corporate Customers Flock to Anti-Snooping App Silent Circle."
In her article she points out that "Silent Circle is forecasting 2-3 million subscribers by the end of 2013, spanning individuals, corporations and various government agencies and militaries from around the world." For many individuals in the groups mentioned, they benefit from the app because the nature of their business and practices necessitate discrete transfer of confidential information across secure networks. Yet, it is also worth mentioning that another group of potential users of secure communication apps can include nefarious types: International terrorist organizations, arms or human traffickers, local crime syndicates, and multinational drug cartels. It is necessary to observe that both groups create an interesting contrast in how we view the integral role and influence of modern innovation in the future.
My position on the debate acknowledges that without question, communication and sending data matters to a lot of people. Increasing our efforts to safeguard information through the implementation of innovative data protection software has future implications beyond privacy. There are economic benefits of secure-data which are consistent with the surge in consumer spending on smartphones, because, for the millennial consumer and many others, the internet is necessarily here to stay. Profit incentive is a primary reason why The Silent Circle App was created.
Secondly, the fear for many users of modern telecommunications devices is of having ones data mined, communications observed, or identity taken. The need to provide a secure means of transferring information across ones network also prompted the creation of The Silent Circle app. This reality supports the position of advocates of greater protection of rights and privacy. Yet, to this same end, hackers with the ability to successfully steal consumer information cannot be identified until after they have committed the invasion of privacy. Therefore, the capabilities to monitor, record, and mine consumer information will continue to be vital towards catching criminals, which makes reasonable intrusions ultimately necessary. However, because these conditions are at conflict, I am indifferent on the debate the whether more privacy is necessary or if justifying invasions of privacy is a good thing.
Furthermore, we can observe actual criminal and civil court cases where private conversations are used against people to secure a conviction. This reality stands without limitation on the practice of firms employing complex data mining schemes and conducting market "research" on individuals, while also being required by federal subpoena to report relevant data to authorities. As much as we would like to believe that our words should be protected as "freedom of speech," "freedom of expression," under the implied "right to privacy," or by consumer protection laws, we cannot be certain to receive that judicial privilege when, contractually, the most popular internet sites that we frequent all have affiliates and extensive networks of third parties that have genuine interest in consumer data. Likewise, if afforded complete protection of privacy, nefarious types may also thrive in their "silent circles" and benefit from immunity from prosecution, and thus, extremists would also have a secure platform to continue their activities. Summarily, because of the statements like the second line of the Miranda rule, where "anything you say can and will be used against in a court of law," the idea that one can protect themselves from persecution by being smart about the messages they send across the cloud becomes mute when we apply the same benefits to suspected criminals.
Thus, the advantages of The Silent Circle are that it provides a secure network for the privacy-conscious consumer, but its disadvantage to society in general because it prohibits authorities from observing the communications of potentially bad people planning to do bad things. Although the benefit of maintaining a private network does not negate responsible use by the consumer, it at least helps informed users stay ahead of an ever-changing, dynamic industry. In all, while the Silent Circle has created a distinct software solution -via an application for mobile devices- that balances the burden of ensuring consumer rights through data protection, it cannot possibly avoid infringing on a governments duty to protect all citizens from the nefarious actions of criminal enterprises. Therefore, we should continue to observe the global challenge to support the free flow of information, but keep in mind the necessity of the task of dismantling the nefarious types of organizations that exist in the world.
More information about The Silent Circle App can be found on the following sites:
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