--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no such thing as going to a…" description: "\"There's no such thing as going to a soapbox and saying, 'The government's corrupt,' and not having the intelligence service see your face. In the digit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/bill-gates-137_digital_there-s-no-such-thing-as-going-to-a-soap_1478071.jpg" --- # There's no such thing as going to a soapbox and saying… ![“There's no such thing as going to a soapbox and saying, 'The government's corrupt,' and not having the intelligence service see your face. In the digital world, that can be done.” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/bill-gates-137_digital_there-s-no-such-thing-as-going-to-a-soap_1478071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/bill-gates-137_digital_there-s-no-such-thing-as-going-to-a-soap_1478071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/bill-gates-137_digital_there-s-no-such-thing-as-going-to-a-soap_1478071.jpg) > “There's no such thing as going to a soapbox and saying, 'The government's corrupt,' and not having the intelligence service see your face. In the digital world, that can be done.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public criticism of government can attract intelligence attention, especially online. **In simple terms:** Speaking out can make you a target of surveillance. Key Takeaway Consider privacy risks before speaking publicly. Themes privacy surveillance freedom of speech government accountability Mood cautious reflective Type warning political When to use this quote - activist statements - journalistic reporting - online dissent - whistleblowing Key Concepts digital monitoring state power media risk Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance speaking truth with personal safety? - What safeguards can protect free expression? A Different Perspective Even in digital spaces, authorities can trace and monitor dissenters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Digital world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-world/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Going Soapbox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-soapbox-5380155/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-corrupt-1034296/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-service-1904845/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Soapbox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soapbox/) [Soapbox Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soapbox-saying-5380154/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Historically, privacy was almost implicit, because it was hard to find and gather information. But in the digital world, whether it's digital cameras or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/historically-privacy-was-almost-implicit-because-it-was-hard-to-find/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [On Foreign Secretary Robin Cook: If a man cannot keep a measly affair secret, what is he doing in charge of the Intelligence Service?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-forsyth/on-foreign-secretary-robin-cook-if-a-man-cannot-keep-a-measly-affair/) [Frederick Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-forsyth/) > [Everybody has a hacking capability. And probably every intelligence service is hacking in the territory of other countries. But who exactly does what? That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/everybody-has-a-hacking-capability-and-probably-every-intelligence/) [Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/) > [Regarding Wikileaks, I have profound ambivalent feelings about it. I am a firm believer in a strong intelligence service. There's a need for classified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/regarding-wikileaks-i-have-profound-ambivalent-feelings-about-it-i-am/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The aim of a foreign intelligence service is to find and convince individuals to help them achieve intelligence objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/the-aim-of-a-foreign-intelligence-service-is-to-find-and-convince/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [The Germans certainly - the intelligence service believed that there were WMD. It turns out that we were all wrong, probably in my judgment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/the-germans-certainly-the-intelligence-service-believed-that-there/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [“Allan Dulles said it best: "Any intelligence service worth its salt can make the other fellow's currency." In other words, every nation needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-j-mendez/allan-dulles-said-it-best-any-intelligence-service-worth-its-salt-can/) [Antonio J. Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-j-mendez/) > [Intelligence in the service of poor instinct is really dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/intelligence-in-the-service-of-poor-instinct-is-really-dangerous/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [An intelligence service is, in fact, a stupidity service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white-3/an-intelligence-service-is-in-fact-a-stupidity-service/) [E B White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white-3/) > [An intelligence service is the ideal vehicle for a conspiracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-dulles/an-intelligence-service-is-the-ideal-vehicle-for-a-conspiracy/) [Allen Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-dulles/) > [The Secret Intelligence Service I knew occupied dusky suites of little rooms opposite St James's Park Tube station in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-secret-intelligence-service-i-knew-occupied-dusky-suites-of/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [SIS, the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, also has no executive powers and operates abroad on CIA lines, but with a tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/sis-the-secret-intelligence-service-also-known-as-mi6-also-has-no/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [People feel like city government is corrupt. They feel like it doesn't work unless you have clout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/people-feel-like-city-government-is-corrupt-they-feel-like-it-doesn-t/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [It might take an act of God to convince some Americans that parts of their government are corrupt, but at the same time, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahbod-seraji/it-might-take-an-act-of-god-to-convince-some-americans-that-parts-of/) [Mahbod Seraji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahbod-seraji/) > [“When you know the government is corrupt at the outset, the smart avoid interacting with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-you-know-the-government-is-corrupt-at-the-outset-the-smart-avoid/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Digital quotes > [I had an idea for a technologically advanced luxury watch. I got involved in digital art and neon painting and put on shows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-moroder/i-had-an-idea-for-a-technologically-advanced-luxury-watch-i-got/) [Giorgio Moroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-moroder/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-topol/when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-digital-applied-only-to-rectal/) [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [To bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans, the FCC needs to make it easier for companies to build and expand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/to-bring-the-benefits-of-the-digital-age-to-all-americans-the-fcc/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [It is very hard to transform your culture and your workforce to be a relevant company in the digital world if all of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/it-is-very-hard-to-transform-your-culture-and-your-workforce-to-be-a/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [“I've decided that has been the great achievement of our age: to so thoroughly flood the planet with megabits that every image and fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-ve-decided-that-has-been-the-great-achievement-of-our-age-to-so/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [But I had never drawn on a tablet before. I've been doing pencil and paper and film for almost 20 years. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/but-i-had-never-drawn-on-a-tablet-before-i-ve-been-doing-pencil-and/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [I do think there's something about the digital age that is increasingly dehumanising us. We're in this very weird place where we're being pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-do-think-there-s-something-about-the-digital-age-that-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [A lot of people that buy vinyl today don’t realise that they’re listening to CD masters on vinyl and that’s because the record companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/a-lot-of-people-that-buy-vinyl-today-don-t-realise-that-they-re/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) [Browse all 1,708 Digital quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no such thing as going to a soapbox and saying, 'The government's corrupt,' and not having the intelligence service see your face. 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