While in theory it's true that government and business can act as counterbalancing checks on each other's power, I don't really see that happening organically around privacy issues. Some third party--read, the public--needs to step in and lobby both--make it clear to businesses that resisting government intrusion carries commercial advantages while making it clear to politicians that regulating business abuses of privacy will be politically rewarding in terms of re-election. Which all requires an educated, engaged public who cares about privacy. That's the first (and hardest) step.

Privacy is arguably different than environmental issues because both businesses and goverment stand to gain from knowing more about you. Their interests align. With enviromental issues, goverment is largely apathetic--open to influence from big oil/the coal industry, yes, but there's no arm of the goverment itself pushing for more fossil fuels to be burned.

-- AndreiVoinigescu - 19 Feb 2009