&quot;protecting the people from the government is more important than protecting the people from the people, at least as long as it stays manageable.&quot;<p>This is fundamental, and this point needs more airtime than it gets. Terrorism is a real threat. It is a challenge that our institutions are struggling to deal with. But the threat that it poses is tiny compared to the threat of powerful government, a troll that goes back to the beginning of civilisation. We must not let the focus on terrorism distract us into relinquishing defenses against the greater threat of powerful government.<p>Advances in technology make privacy more important than it has ever been. Without privacy, there is vast opportunity for government to reach deep into our lives in the name of enforcement.<p>Government of the people has an obligation to find ways to combat terrorism that are compatible with the controls we need on government. If we don&#x27;t hold the line on privacy, government will increasingly shift us towards serfdom.