I know we've kind of said all there is to be said about this topic, but I figured I should use the blog to try to formulate my own opinion on the online/facebook/privacy craziness.
The way I see it, I have no idea why on earth anyone could possibly even try to think they deserve or are entitled to privacy on the world wide web. Nothing about the name implies privacy to me and I will forever go back to my logic- if you want complete privacy, buy a diary. Why would you ever use the world's most vast and complex network of connections and shared information to do things that you expected to be private?
I can't possibly understand the "our privacy should be regulated by the government" argument. I'm pretty sure, as mentioned in class, that the government has way bigger issues to be dealing with. We, as users of this Internet, have our own personal responsibility to monitor ourselves. No one demanded that we sign up for facebook and then post pictures of ourselves getting drunk with our friends. So if you choose to do that, be ready for the consequences that may (or may not) ensue.
For some, the problem here is that it really and truly is a personal priority that friend A, B, and C see these pictures of their crazy weekend. If that's the case, why don't you print out the picture and show them in person? This is not at all a burden for our expression of ourselves. If there are people in this world solely relying on social networking sites to express who they are, I'm nervous.
My point isn't some narrowminded claim that all facebook users are idiots for putting up questionable pictures and deserve to see repercussions for doing so. Moreso, I'm trying to say that if there are repercussions or if your "privacy" is disregarded, maybe you should find another outlet for expression. There are plenty of other ways to go about this that aren't rooted in a public medium.
I think a lot of people in class had the same sort of ideas because I remember a few people saying that they are strict with what they do and don't post because they understand that the Internet is not (and was never intended to be) a completely private place. But does anyone disagree? Of course this is just my opinion and is no more valid than anyone else's!
Michelle, I agree that people really need to be aware that facebook is not very private at all and that anything they post is their responsibility and subject to ridicule or use.
ReplyDeleteI actually did not completely realize this when I first made a facebook and would accept friend request from people I did not know or allow my friends to write crazy things on my wall or tag me in all pictures with whatever going on in the backgroud (nothing too crazy) But as I started to realize that this information was able to be viewed by everyone and as I matured as an adult I no longer found the need to have these things as a part of my profile. It's not that I am trying to hide who I am, it's that I have changed as a person since I first started by facebook. I still want to have my facebook in order to keep up with old friends and make the ocassional walk down memory lane but nothing more.
So the only concern that I have is that I can never "start over" with facebook. Although I have never said anything really said or done anything offensive on facebook, I am bothered by the fact that someone could retrieve old information of mine and use it in the present. Aside from that, I couldn't agree more. If you sign up for a facebook, you need to realize what you are getting into. Luckily, I, along with many others in the class, have realized this.
I agree with your argument and I found your spelling out of what "www" really means hilarious. I understand that people shouldn't expect what they put online to be private but at the same time, sites and SNS give off the impression of privacy while that is not the case. For example MySpace gives off the impression that it is a person's personal space to do as they please without repercussions. Same thing with cell phones. It's MY phone so what I do with it is personal. Therefore, people use these technologies and are unaware of how their information or content is being used. I'm sure if people were knowledgeable of businesses and companies archiving their didgital footprints, there surely wouldn't be as many accounts registered as there are on SNS.
ReplyDeleteAs the class discussed, a lot of our personal lives are already common knowledge. The sad fact is that if soomeone wanted to find out information about me they could simple type my name into a serach engine and maybe have some luck (SCARY).
BUt back to the original topic, I feel that SNS should make it clear to the user or potential user what exactly they are doing with their accounts/ information. Of course, I understand why sites such as Facebook neglected to do so, it would be bad for business...
I agree with many of your points, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteThe whole point of the WWW is to connect ideas and people from various corners of the world (hence WORLD wide web). In that, by signing on to the web, you are compromising and giving up a piece of your own privacy in exchange for something else.
For example. you take Facebook. People complain about the lack of privacy. However, they sign up to absorb other people's content and for the most part, provide personalized content about themselves to other people.
Unfortunately, I think the concept of privacy has never really been respected. Though you mentioned diaries as a form a privacy - yes, it is MORE private than the World Wide Web, though you are still DOCUMENTING personal/private thoughts. How many times has someone's private diary been exposed to the public over the years in unique circumstance (politicians, court cases, etc)? Also, as I mentioned in class, private company memos, recordings, home videos that somehow make their way into the hands of the public (most ways through the World Wide Web). Before the www, there was a bit more privacy, but these recorded documents could easily find their way in public domain (via print media, as applicable).
In sum, the www has created the most accessible medium to unveil privacy, for the average citizen to post anything that they acquire (anonymously).The whole point is to connect and share. What makes it special is the content.