In Data and Goliath, Bruce Schneier celebrates the many ways “technology has been an enormous benefit to us all,” from accelerating scientific discovery to connecting people across continents. Yet he sounds a clarion call: “We shouldn’t have to worry about how our actions might be interpreted or misinterpreted,” warning that unchecked, “surveillance that is essentially indefinite” corrodes trust and freedom. Schneier spotlights key battles for privacy—like Lavabit’s choice to shut down rather than hand over its master encryption key—and illuminates how broad data retention rules mean your encrypted messages or simple keyword searches can live in government archives forever. To preserve democracy, he insists on robust legal protections for journalists, because “public disclosure in itself is not espionage,” and he urges us to shape laws that keep pace with new, unpredictable inventions.

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” — Frank Zappa