There are a number of related reasons why people don't care.
1. Having your doctor store your history is not a breach of privacy. Your doctor is obliged to send a copy to a new doctor if you leave his practice - that saves a lot of hassle.
2. Under EU law, every organisation that has info on you has to share that info if you send the equivalent of $5 to them and they do get prosecuted if they mishandle data. For example, I was able to have my credit record fixed when Experian made a mistake. This system works well.
3. In the UK, the public supports massive CCTV and the main victims have been the police and politicians. Cops that used be able to get away with beating up prisoners, with assaults on the public or flat out lying are now being videoed in action and are being prosecuted. The public loves this. They also love the way politicians are forced to go on the record almost all the time. The old days of "memoirs" that really were just whitewashes of history are gone.
4. In most of Europe, over 100 years of bombings by terrorists has left people relaxed about telephone surveillance and the like. We do have nutters who do want to plant bombs. These nutters, for example the IRA, precede al qaida by 100 years and will still be active in 100 years time. That that affects our attitude to privacy.
So we are not that worried about state oversight. We worry far more about private companies that might break the law and use data in ways that we don't want. Americans could care less about their private data and they mistrust the state. Its a significant cultural difference.
Got it, yeah it's a big difference. Our (my) general interpretation of what you wrote is "yep, successful brainwashing. Big Brother tells you to be in fear of enemies within and outside, and he will relentlessly pursue them(you)..."
LOL...
But most of what you wrote was about general surveillance and data collection - you've noted at least in Germany that the medical records are not collected by the state. And that was the focus of my question.
I view the medical data collection by the state as far more dangerous and invasive than say, collecting data on cars passing camera points, or people walking down a certain street. The medical database can be used by political forces against opposing parties or persons, and would be so used. At least here it would be.
Of course that's my (American) perception of the state as bad, evil corrupt...while the European/progressive view is the state is good, merciful and just.
The state is only 'good' to the extent that the people keep it that way.
