I'm always surprised by the downvotes on hackernews to anyone that suggests a conspiracy of any kind. Usually, "technical" people are all about pure anonymity, pure truth, full disclosure....but it seems like there are certain topics where this no longer applies.

Feel free to downvote, but I'd be even more interested in assertions that all is well, there have been no noteworthy changes in the world from a compliance or enforcement of existing rules perspective.

It's not so much the simple suggestion of a conspiracy as it is the sheer over-the-topness of it all. Police overstepping their bounds in the UK equals "the end of any type freedom" and "global slavery"? Oh, please.

Please let me add to that.

If you have a silly canned response that is equally (not very) on any comment thread that relates to information, privacy or rights in any way you get downvoted. It's usually just trolling. Even when it isn't, it's annoying because its' a combination of grandiose claims & stupid, simplistic or non-existent support.

I think we welcome loopy conspiracy theorists, but not dumb ones.

Did you read what he wrote, or are you just being a contrarian?

One government to rule the world. One government elected by the bankers and corporations and global slavery for the rest of us.

Absolute drivel. Where to start? There isn't only one government in this world. And most 1st world governments are republics of one form or another (elected officials representing a slice of the population). Bankers have a vote, but certainly not the only vote. Etc, etc.

He's either trolling or stupid. Either way it's not worth arguing, hence the downvotes.

I don't believe in New World Order theories, but you have to admit that those people who are funding president candidates are not doing it for free or out of democratic/liberal believes. They have their voice on the country.