Anonymity and the internet
My biggest pet peeve with the world wide web...with social networks, blogs, IM's, personals sites, the natural of the beast in general:
An awful lot of people have access to an awful lot of information without your knowledge. The ability of someone who wishes to remain nameless and faceless to read about someone else, and possibly to think they know you well because of what they find, what they glean from profiles and blogs. That somehow gathering that information facelessly in a chair in front of a computer screen makes is okay...perhaps even more ethical than attempting to gather the same information by physically shadowing them.
It's not honest. It's secretive. It's unnerving. It makes me suspicious of the other's guilt...that they are somehow doing something wrong and to avoid getting caught must remain hidden...or that there are more sinister plans. Or perhaps it's just a social ineptitude that prevents said stalker from being able to interact with people in person...instead relying on technology to do the work for them.
Particularly bothersome are functions such as the ability to not only sign in "invisibly" (I can see you, but you can't see me) on Yahoo Messenger, but also to set "stealth" modes for individuals. To set yourself up as a voyeur without the other persons knowledge or consent. Other sites "stalker" modes are even creepier...on a site that logs the individuals who view a profile (as opposed to just providing a counter of hits) you have the option to view anonymously. Essentially becoming that dirty old man watching your ever move without your knowledge.
Also troublesome..."friending" on social networks. You can stumble across a profile you like and offer the figurative handshake or introduction by means of a friend request. But often said request is not accompanied by a greeting. No hello. No 'I'm so and so and I saw your profile, you intrigue me. ' Fine. But "friending" is safe. It just adds another number and face to a list of "friends" but inclusion to such a list, the ease with which people toss the word friend around within the binary void devalues the term. There are people out there who make it a game to friend as many people as possible. Can these people say they are truly friends of the 100+ individuals listed. Maybe if Friends lists were renamed Acquaintance lists I wouldn't feel so oddly about the whole thing.
And news feeds on programs such as facebook which inform all those on the above mentioned friend list of any change to your profile. When you've moved, changed jobs...even a change in relationship status.
And google search. Have you ever googled yourself? I recommend it...see how well known you've become on the web. And realize all of that information is made publicly available.
Again, asserting the need for a private forum. I'm toying with the idea of upping the level of privacy on this blog. Please be patient if you can't access it sometime in the next month. Email me and I'll add you to those who have access. This is off course assuming a majority of my readers have my email. And you won't find such contact info on any profile of mine. I refuse to make personal contact information available to any passer-by. Sorry.
An awful lot of people have access to an awful lot of information without your knowledge. The ability of someone who wishes to remain nameless and faceless to read about someone else, and possibly to think they know you well because of what they find, what they glean from profiles and blogs. That somehow gathering that information facelessly in a chair in front of a computer screen makes is okay...perhaps even more ethical than attempting to gather the same information by physically shadowing them.
It's not honest. It's secretive. It's unnerving. It makes me suspicious of the other's guilt...that they are somehow doing something wrong and to avoid getting caught must remain hidden...or that there are more sinister plans. Or perhaps it's just a social ineptitude that prevents said stalker from being able to interact with people in person...instead relying on technology to do the work for them.
Particularly bothersome are functions such as the ability to not only sign in "invisibly" (I can see you, but you can't see me) on Yahoo Messenger, but also to set "stealth" modes for individuals. To set yourself up as a voyeur without the other persons knowledge or consent. Other sites "stalker" modes are even creepier...on a site that logs the individuals who view a profile (as opposed to just providing a counter of hits) you have the option to view anonymously. Essentially becoming that dirty old man watching your ever move without your knowledge.
Also troublesome..."friending" on social networks. You can stumble across a profile you like and offer the figurative handshake or introduction by means of a friend request. But often said request is not accompanied by a greeting. No hello. No 'I'm so and so and I saw your profile, you intrigue me. ' Fine. But "friending" is safe. It just adds another number and face to a list of "friends" but inclusion to such a list, the ease with which people toss the word friend around within the binary void devalues the term. There are people out there who make it a game to friend as many people as possible. Can these people say they are truly friends of the 100+ individuals listed. Maybe if Friends lists were renamed Acquaintance lists I wouldn't feel so oddly about the whole thing.
And news feeds on programs such as facebook which inform all those on the above mentioned friend list of any change to your profile. When you've moved, changed jobs...even a change in relationship status.
And google search. Have you ever googled yourself? I recommend it...see how well known you've become on the web. And realize all of that information is made publicly available.
Again, asserting the need for a private forum. I'm toying with the idea of upping the level of privacy on this blog. Please be patient if you can't access it sometime in the next month. Email me and I'll add you to those who have access. This is off course assuming a majority of my readers have my email. And you won't find such contact info on any profile of mine. I refuse to make personal contact information available to any passer-by. Sorry.
Labels: Random Musings
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12:39 PM
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