A transaction online is no different than one in the public square, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy and limited expectation of anonymity: some transactions may be public but anonymous: for example, a charitable donation.

If we accept legal, commercial transactions require a legitimate buyer and seller, it follows there will no privacy and limited anonymity – this is by design. In which case, I would argue the greatest challenge lies in creating a frictionless, common ID system, facilitating all web transactions, commercial or social. The challenge is not protecting a Facebook news feed, the equivalent of standing on Speaker’s Corner and ranting at the rain.

Privacy *is* an illusion; it is therefore incumbent upon us to be mindful of the only relevant question remaining: who is watching the watchers?

Thanks Chris, good stuff.