The other day I stumbled across this blog post titled, Dear Web Applications, Where are my files? Then I read Evan's post on the discussion board about big brother, which echoed a similar sentiment.
Personally, I'm not too disturbed by a lack of privacy or inability to keep my internet files. Maybe this is generational. I grew up plugged in. I've experienced what's its like to put too much personal information online at a young age (and kids can be mean). I've learned not to put anything into writing or online circulation that I'd be upset if others saw.
So, what do I care if Google or Facebook uses my data to try to aim their ads at me or improve their site or whatever? No one there knows me personally. I'm sure they could dig and link my IP address or whatever data corresponds to me back to me, but that still doesn't really affect me.
Sure, I Google really random and sometimes embarrassing things, but it's not like my searches are publicly posted, linked back to me, in a place where people that know me can see them. Think of how many users are out there - far too many to match every face with their internet activity/data! So, what's the big deal?
But what if our random and embarrassing searches did get publicly posted? I've seen tools that would allow users to share such things -- and even without public posting if you share a computer the cookies could result in some embarrassing moments. Take amazon, for example. They know what you've searched for and bought in the past and make recommendations. What if you bought books about sex, and then your mother borrowed your computer to purchase a book for herself? When she hits the amazon home page you could get embarrassing recommendations. Heck, I get weird stuff recommended all the time because I use my account to buy things for my dad who can't seem to place his own orders.
ReplyDeleteI don't share my computer, so I'm not that worried about that happening. Also, neither of my parents are computer savvy enough to know that the ads are targeted to you as a result of your prior purchases or site visits, so they'd probably think it was random.
ReplyDeleteBuuuuut, theoretically, it could be equally as embarrassing if I bought the book in person at the bookstore and my mom found it in my room.
Personally, I wouldn't be embarrassed either way. She'd probably make fun of me some. Give me a hard time and we'd laugh about it.
I google all sorts of random things that I read in books or hear on TV. Anything I may not know (including embarrassing or inappropriate things), I google. I'm just curious and I don't really mind who knows where I've been online.
If everyone's searches were publicly posted there would be so much data available, would you really skim it all just to see what your friends and/or family were looking at? I don't know. Maybe. And who would organize this data so it's manageable to sort through?
I just can't imagine that I would care that much. (But I'm not very normal.. I'm sure most others would care!)
A while back I had a really fun project with the Department of Health working with the STD prevention/intervention folks (a really interesting group--never a dull conversation). Some of the content was beyond explicit and way out of conventional lifestyles. My search history and cookie collection would have scandalized my neighbors who were unaware of the job! Were that data to follow me around it could lead to lively job interviews IF I could even get to the interview to put the information in context.
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