Does Anyone Care About Privacy Anymore?

I also believe that people still want their privacy. It is one thing to post things about yourself on the internet, but quite different for someone else to do something that could compromise you.

For example, private information being kept on "secure" systems. Now, how many lap tops, discs and such have we seen lost or stolen, with data such as client SS#'s kept on them. Hve these companies not yet learned?

If I put my SS# number on the internet, then I have opened the door myself to ID theft. And, it is my right to be that stupid if I want to had that info out to strangers on myself. But as I do not put such information on line, or even store in in my computer, I don't need some big corporation exposing me to it instead, without my permission. Then, when information HAS been compromised due to their mistakes, what do we get but, "oh...so sorry...we'll give you free credit monitoring for a year". And this is supposed to make us feel better and more trusting to them how, again?

With the sloppiness that corporations are showing in keeping information safe, I do believe that people are getting more protective of their privacy. Also, as Big Brother figures he should be snooping and tracking more, this is also starting to get some riled.

I do think at some point, many will say enough.

It's really fascinates me how the internet has make it so easy and comfortable for people to share their privacy in the most depicable manner.May be it's all part of the 'culture shock 'for me. I came from a cultural set up where privacy is revered in unspeakable measure and my mind was blown up to see on the internet how people can go to every height to share their privacy. I'm of the opinion that though it;s a cultural issue,the internet has made it possible for people who longs to become 'self-style' celebrities.I often asked myself what purpose does all these extreme display of one's private life on the internet served if not to gain an unfair recognition?

Does this self-style portrait on the internet obliged us to think that people are no longer interested in privacy?I certainly would take the contrary on the basis that privacy is something ingrained in everyman's life.Therefore irregardless of what a minority section will do on the internet to make us believe that privacy has been lost,i'm firmly of the view that its still has a place in the heart of 21st century generation.

Hi,

our "old" notion of privacy is, I belief, based on the assumption of physical space. Therefore, the more privacy-concerned someone, the more space s/he needs and guards against outsider. In our "old world" the same principle applies to our way of fencing the house, locking the doors, standing inside the lift, sitting in the waiting room, and many others ...

Yet, this cyberspace created by networked computer is not, and will never be, a physical space. Our existence does not necessitate our physical presence, we can create our identity/ies as many as we feel like to simultaneously, distance is measured more by "network distance" and not by metrical system, etc. In a nutshell, what I want to say is that we need to redefine what we mean by "self", "privacy", "identity", including "exhibitionism".

Any comment "new world" species? 

Dear sir,

one more comment from a specimen of "the species" you are talking about. Let me say a few words in support of Facebook and its users. I do use it to communicate with my friends, it's easier for me to send them a message once in a while than to use e-mail. Everybody is busy nowdays, but on Facebook you can get an idea what's going on in your friend's life, logging in at the end of the day (or whenever). You can watch his or her posted photos and videos and see what new places or people he's/she's seen. I've got around 50 friends on Facebook, none of them have pictures in their profiles where they did sommething inappropriate, the most "offensive" of them show them partying or kissing/hugging somebody in a friendly (sometimes romantic) manner. Speaking about the pictures, it's just convenient - you don't have to send your pictures over to your friends again and again, it's just enough for them to come to your Facebook profile. It matters much to me as I'm being far from Russia were I'm from at present. And the fact, that almost all profiles on Facebook are closed now, I mean you can view somebody's profile only if he/she allowed you to proves that the majority does care about privacy...And the way a person creates his on-line personality depends not on age, or internet technologies but on the level of his intelligence  moral values and family upbringing..

"Is this just a short-term lack of sense on the part of young people, one that they will later regret?"

Some will surely regret as with the case of Jennicam where the cam star Jennifer Kaye Ringley seems to be tired of her past digital exhibitionism life. She currently works as a computer programmer (far from the online croud)in Sacramento, and intends to remain out of the public eye. "I really am enjoying my privacy now. I don't have a web page; I don't have a MySpace page. It's a completely different feeling, and I think I'm enjoying it."

Some will not regret because, they agree to disclose their privacy for personal reasons ( money, the prospect of being fameous, meet friends...) and they enjoy it.

Does anyone care about privacy anymore? Yes I do care.  

Many others are caring too. The case of Facebook's "Beacon"  is a good example of how people are still caring obout their privacy (despite some deceitful evidence).

It was a little misleading to imply that I would Facebook any potential employer. This specific person and I had a lengthy conversation about the company (mostly about Beacon) and it was therefore sort of contextual.

My thoughts then and since -

1. Beacon is annoying because it turns targeted advertising into forced personal bilboarding. (some kids pay tons of cash to wear logos across their chest, so who knows, it may catch on - I'm just saying it shouldn't be forced).

2. Also, I don't like that Facebook traces people after they have left the site (that's a bit too much even for me).

3. Beacon should focus more on advertising targeted based on people's declared specified interests. Facebook has an insane amount of data on their customers declared personal interests and should focus more on that.

And I do think some forms of internet privacy invasions are frightening and unacceptable. Like authoritarian regimes hunting down dissenters etc. But this represents a completely different class of problem then the social openness that my generation embraces. It is a mistake to muddle the two together. Yes, the internet is responsible for both but they are not one and the same

Beacon will evolve and change but that was expected anyway.

And I know what you mean about the facebook bandwagon, Charles. My entire family is on.

Hello Mathew 

Whichever generation you may consider, no one wants their family space spilling over into the professional space. Or do they?

I have a hypothesis,

a. people put up pictures expecting to share with a limited circle of friends. the logic being that "if i havent shared the id with others , who would see". The understanding of tags,  privacy settings itself is suspect. I dont think there is enough understanding for these issues. The result privacy is compromised.

b. From a professional standpoint, i remember one of the air crew getting into trouble with her company for some personal postings in her blog.

c. If there are vulnerable pcs with unpatched windows flaws, non updated virus signatures it is mostly because of ignorance. The same holds true for privacy. 

After all, I am sure no one wants their privacy or pc compromised, yet that happens. It is knowledge of actions and their implications that will  help people.

Hi Elisa,

Thanks for your enlightening comments.

As someone who remembers seeing the Six Million Dollar Man in it's first broadcast run in prime time (not reruns), I can understand that you don't care if a prospective employer sees you drink in Facebook.  Employers assume th 97% of college students get drunk. And it's  you putting up the pictures of yourself.

But what do you find Facebook's Beacon Ad Program, which broadcasts selected product purchases to your Facebook friends? I'm interested in you thoughts and feelings of that ad program.

Thanks in advance for your time and effort,

Uriah Av-Ron