> I should absolutely be able to intercept TLS traffic on my computers on my network. ... / Frankly, I have a higher duty than user privacy. My users have access to data that's critically sensitive in various ways, in some cases they face criminal sanction. I need to both control and detect unauthorized software on the network and ensure that users are following the rules.
Perhaps the security agencies view their country as "my network", and then if you read the rest of the quote, everything follows from there.
There are big differences: The compulsive power of government, and the necessity of civil rights and peacefully organizing against the government; compared with the 'at will' relationship with a company and its interest, generally considered legitimate, in ultimate authority and stopping insubordination.
On the other hand, large companies are not really 'at will'; people can't just walk away from jobs 'at will', especially when they have children, mortgages, other debts, or (in the U.S.) health problems. Also, some insubordination is legitimate: Labor organizing, legal and regulatory complaints (EEOC, safety, etc.), and probably other things I'm not thinking of.
The distinction isn't so clear cut. I'm not sure the objection of the corporate sysadmin is that much more valid than the government security agency. Also, the security agency often has far more at stake.
Perhaps the security agencies view their country as "my network", and then if you read the rest of the quote, everything follows from there.
There are big differences: The compulsive power of government, and the necessity of civil rights and peacefully organizing against the government; compared with the 'at will' relationship with a company and its interest, generally considered legitimate, in ultimate authority and stopping insubordination.
On the other hand, large companies are not really 'at will'; people can't just walk away from jobs 'at will', especially when they have children, mortgages, other debts, or (in the U.S.) health problems. Also, some insubordination is legitimate: Labor organizing, legal and regulatory complaints (EEOC, safety, etc.), and probably other things I'm not thinking of.
The distinction isn't so clear cut. I'm not sure the objection of the corporate sysadmin is that much more valid than the government security agency. Also, the security agency often has far more at stake.