That’s the title used by Bruce Schneier in a post that draws an analogy of the ways we use our data to a feudal society.
My very short description is that our system of allowing Apple or Google or Microsoft to store our data on their servers and provide hardware platforms with reduced opportunity to manage our own security is a change from the previous model of having our own servers and maintaining our own security and backup.
That is similar to a feudal society in which the peasants work for a lord who provides all their security.
For the average user, this is probably an improvement of their computer security, from Mr. Schneier’s perspective.
For some users, like me, that is a step backward.
That may leave an average user better off, but it leaves all of us vulnerable to the good will and attentiveness of the feudal lord. If the lord (Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook) want to mine our data and sell us to others, we not only can’t do anything about it, but may not even know they are doing it. If they change their policies on a whim, we can do nothing except leave.
Check out the full post. It’s a good brain stretcher.