Whether you view these stories as horrors or comedy’s they do undoubtedly impart wisdom and provide us with some sort of lesson. But how do we identify what that lesson is?
Privacy on social network sites is a topic that is rapidly heating up. The “who owns all of the data and what are they going to do with it?” question is a popular one. But there is also the question of how the information we share will impact upon us in the long run. What are the adverse effects of our 300 drunken photos that we’re tagged in on Facebook? Who is going to read our angry twitter ranst and what are they going to think?
I read an article recently entitled “Google and the Search for the Future” and in it Google CEO Eric Schmidt predicted “that every young person one day will be entitled automatically to change his or her name on reaching adulthood in order to disown youthful hijinks stored on their friends' social media sites.”
This is a very interesting prediction and has particular relevance to generation Z, who are in the unfamiliar situation of growing up immersed within the world of social media. This was the vain of some of the questions posed at the recent Auckland Google Barcamp, and the topic fuelled a very interesting discussion.
One viewpoint was that of the concerned parent and/or teacher. These people were horrified at some of the information their kids (some as young as 7) were sharing via facebook. Their concern was centred round the inability for some kids - and subsequently their parent’s - to fully understand the implications of social networking privacy. To put it bluntly, they felt that a lot of the personal information being shared was grossly inappropriate and had the potential to be harmful both in the short and long term.
An opposing view put forth the idea of perception, and how in 10-20 years when generation Z are in the position a lot of us are in now then the drunken facebook photos and angry rants of their youth will be dismissed as commonplace as everyone will be in the same boat. More specifically these so-called inappropriate photos and statuses will be perceived as normal.
Which begs the question; how much of our online privacy concerns come down to differencing perceptions?
Are we concerned that our personal information is available to be seen, or are we concerned about the people that can potentially see it and how they will perceive it?
I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!! Throw some opinion around!
We're concerned, as a society as a whole, to be faced with the repercussions of our own actions. Nice and inflammatory way to start my comment :P. Never before in human history have we, at the coming of age and maturity, been able to completely disavow our young and reckless pasts. There was a time, in communal village living, where of course you were judged on the sum of all your past actions, and everyone knew about them. Since then we have lived in a time of post-industrial revolution isolation, where we can co-exist but not truly live with those around us, we removed the community from our existence. Well the web is here, in full force, and its brought the village back home. Personally I try and live my life knowing that whatever I post is there forever, that everyone can see it, and I could have a pic snapped of me at anytime and BAM it's posted to FB. Keeps me on my toes, keeps me responsible, keeps me motivated to do the best I can. To all those scared of how 'privacy is gone', have you thought that might just be because you have so little you've got to be proud of? If you do something well, something good, with heart and skill and vision, it can go global, quick. Before we were all our own broadcast medium you had almost no way of having your achievements seen, your voice heard. We are so lucky and empowered to be alive today.
ReplyDeleteOk, sorry for the rant. Here's the point. 'You made your bed now sleep in it', true, but now the bed is global, so if you're scared of ruining the preconceptions of theoretically anyone you can ever meet... don't be a muppet. Technology rewards positivity, it's a spotlight on stupidity, that's my two cents.
I think its a trying time, as a culture we are unaware of the risks involved when making yourself available on social networking sites. Live and learn I guess, and for gods sake keep it private!
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