Silicon Valley through the NSA prism

[Commentary] The revelations surrounding the National Security Agency over the last two days underline a well-known fact in the tech world: Silicon Valley is a land of secrets. Exclusivity. Secrecy.

They’re part of the Valley’s engine. But, to the casual observer, they may seem anathema to its culture. This is, after all, the land of open data, open source software and public APIs. This is the land of sharing, liking, poking, posting, uploading and circling. This is a land that not only allows but encourages you to broadcast public details about yourself and your environment constantly. It is, culturally, all about openness. It is also increasingly about intimacy. Enter the NSA … and FBI, and according to the Guardian, the GCHQ, or the British version of the NSA.