Depends what your threat model is, and what you're trying to do. I mean if you're an ordinary person with no particular enemies and no huge dark secrets then most of the time you don't need any security, honestly.
An individual set of card details are worth too little to a fraudster to be worth taking the risk of tampering with phone lines or breaking into an exchange followed by ages of monitoring (tapping the wrong line? mine hasn't been used for phone conversations for weeks - before that it was broken for weeks before I noticed) - it's not cost effective, and so not much physical security is needed for an individual line, nor that much for an exchange.
If it can be obtained through automated exploits, the cost-benefit ratio changes drastically.
In Poland, I've heard national ID numbers, names and addresses being transmitted over radio analog and unencrypted, on frequencies well within the receiving range of an amateur handheld. I've also heard that taxi drivers often transmit CC details over the radio (again, analog and unencrypted). Keep in mind that listening in to taxi and public service bands is one of the favourite pastimes of HAMs.
Granted USA is not a true Democracy but doesn't that defeat the purpose of a Democracy?
Of course I know that you can't have freedom and security these days but should we just start re-labeling the states as a different type of government?
I'm by no means an expert however if we are to have freedom to keep our secrets why is it shameful to do so - even if it is "something to hide" is fearful to divulge we should still have that right to make the choice.
Correct me if I'm wrong, please, because I'm still very young with politics and as such am still learning a lot about it.
Could you clarify, did you understand the error of your statements once the Snowden leaks happened, or are you saying you still agree with this oft refuted (il)logic?
