Government’s role in society is first and foremost to provide order. It is supposed to make rules, enforce them, and provide consequences for breaking them. But on the issue on whether or not to protect the people or their rights, opinions vary. Thomas Jefferson subtly hinted that life is the most important right people are born with, but then again the right to life isn’t what makes America so special. It’s freedom.
John Locke, a major influence on the founding fathers, cited consent as a having a central role in government, and Corey Doctorow would agree. The lack of consent is a major theme in his book. Marcus did not consent to unlocking his phone until he was tortured. Neither did he consent the government to tap his computer. In terms of the Patriot Act, consent only came from the government itself rather than the people, even though it’s the people who are most affected. But, not even the Founding Fathers thought the people should not be completely trusted, hence the implementation of the electoral college, which puts the final say on the presidential vote in the hands of representatives from each state.
This hesitation by the greatest thinkers of their time is evidence toward the tendency of the individuals in a group to think as individuals rather than one entity. Few individuals would vote to have their taxes raised for the greater good. Privacy is the same way. No individual wants to sacrifice his or her privacy under any circumstance. Groups of people have no concept of utilitarianism. Corey Doctorow only offers what he thinks should not be done. He gives no opinion about how to resolve these issues. It's one thing to point out a problem, and provide an answer, but Doctorow is purely just criticizing the current system without any idea about how to actually protect the country.

Image borrowed from joshuanoerr.com