Privacy, it’s so yesterday
What’s on your mind? What’s happening? Where are you now? Now, I know some of you may be thinking: ‘none of your bloody business’. Yet these simple questions buffer the gateway of an idle utopia for younger gens. And social media thrives on it.
The world gets smaller as technology brings us closer. That we continue to broadcast our lives online while losing our grip on reality, well, it’s quite the paradox. Our privacy has been compromised. It’s, like, totally five minutes ago.
Apps like Facebook Places inundate others with our every move. Twitter just shunned a celebrity stalking website, and a school in the US was recently sprung spying on kids from their laptop webcams. Skype and video calling integrate images with conversation. And most of us have used some type of chat cam.
Stalkbook is hoarding our data. Google cross-matches GPS with Media Access Control, and ‘location-aware browsing’ is already giving me the shits. Sure enough, social networking will soon be suggesting where to go, what to do – which will be perfectly swell for those who prefer not to think for themselves.
Following a few after-work drinks, our phones might advise dropping by the Maccas around the corner for a late night grease fix. Boot up Grindr for some cabbie cock on the way home. ‘Don’t forget the condoms and Viagra,’ chimes the Twitosphere. This is not paranoia, people. It’s our new reality.
Some iPhone4 ads are surfing the zeitgeist of real-time caring and sharing. Promos for FaceTime offer sentimental glimpses of dad on a business trip catching-up with the family from afar. Cue soppy scene of mother helping daughter choose her wedding gown from home – I think I just threw-up in my mouth a bit.
Personally, I don’t want to be checking my appearance before accepting a call. In fact, I have a piece of Blu-tack over my webcam. I’m vain enough already. Yes, much like craving validation from comments in online threads, we are not immune. The lure of virtual egotism invokes our inner-narcissist.
If you’re anything like me, don’t offer your info in the first place. Facebook can’t publish your details if they don’t have them. But short of becoming paranoid recluses, we only have so much control over it. Resistance may be futile. But that bit of Blu-tack on my webcam is staying put.
Typical of the up themselves gen y types having their lives on display for everyone ! I don’t think it will get that bad though Asquith. lol @ the blue tack over the webcam !
Oh look all this 1984 paranoid attitude, even if we are not on Facebook or Twitter or lives are on the internet somewhere. Its life. Go live on an island if you don’t want your privacy invaded.
I read a spooky article once where things like face book and twitter where deliberately invented to get people use to the idea of surveillance and the destruction of privacy. The more and more we broadcast our lives we will be more accepting to live in a society where our every move is monitored (this is supposedly the plan of the new world order movement)
I doubt the above is true, but it makes me think when the other day my boss said that he went to some seminar and a speaker predicted surveillance in the workplace in ALL areas will be introduced in the next 5 years…