Final post!

The main issues regarding privacy this day in age is the issue of the user of the technology. In the article, The web is built on a lack of privacy “If asked, most people will say that they're concerned about protecting their privacy and their personal information, but their behaviour generally suggests otherwise. For starters, many people post all kinds of information about themselves on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, apparently oblivious to the fact that those goofy drunken party pics are not going to be so amusing to a potential employer who comes across them in a Google search.” People are becoming foolish with their choices of how much information they are placing on the internet. The mass of online users often accuse corporations for selling their information. One of the main issues with technology this day in age is the ignorance of the person using it.
As David Neal puts it “Clearly, many firms have a rather lackadaisical attitude to the way they handle their clients’ personal data. Unfortunately, this problem is being compounded by ignorance on the part of customers. Many internet users and clients of firms that employ IT systems do not even consider what is involved in the protection of their personal data. They simply surrender it and hope for the best.” This is the surrendering we are seeing, with privacy right now. People, both in the corporations and individual users do not care enough about their privacy until it is too late.
Much in the same way that Dr. Victor Frankinstein gave no thought to the consequences of creating life, the same amount of thought was given to giving the life internet. But we cannot just accuse the creators of the internet for all of our cyberspace issues. We must also look at the people who use the internet on a daily basis. The internet stays alive because it feeds on the time that people use on it. Users of the internet are what continually spur it on, giving it another day of life, if people stopped using the internet it would then fail to be in existence. The users of the internet need to think about the consequences of using it. Metaphorically speaking, the internet is a plant, you can keep the plant alive by watering it on a regular basis and keeping the room a certain temperature. But what if you poison the water you feed your plant with? What if you decide not to water it? It gets sick, or it dies. Same instance with the internet, people need to give thought into what they do on the internet, people need to be more cautious about their usage of the internet because what the internet is today, is not what it will be tomorrow. The internet like a child will grow and change into whatever it is socialized to be.
In closing, our main issues regarding privacy in our 21st century are as follows, apathy leads to the creation of a monster. That is to say, the creation of websites, the creation of corporations, and the creation of even a personal webpage leads to disaster sooner or later because there is simply not enough thought, care or reason given to what our values are, what the consequences could be, and how we will deal with the issues before they arrive. We deal with the internet and privacy in a reactive, not proactive way. We are watching the newest version of Frankinstein unfold before our eyes. Will we teach this monster what love and care are? Will we take time to make sure it is socially accepted before we leave it to fend for itself? Only time will tell.

Research for upcoming blog!

My formulated question for this week was: What are the main issues facing privacy this day in age, primarily regarding the internet? The following is a list of resources I will be referencing from.

5 News articles
The web is built on a lack of privacy Concern is growing about data collected by Google and other web companies Jonathan Weber http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1850998.ece

“You Have Zero Privacy Anyway. Get Over It”–That Goes Double on Social Networks by Kara Swisher http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090216/you-have-zero-privacy-anyway-get-over-it-that-goes-double-on-social-networks/

Teenagers struggle with privacy, security issues Robert Lemos, http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10940

Google Buzz is criticised for lack of privacy All your contacts are belong to Buzz By Dave Neal
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/opinion/1591657/google-buzz-criticised-lack-privacy

Lack of privacy endangers the internet by David Neal http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/opinion/1862705/lack-privacy-endangers-internet

1 Book
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

2 Peer Reviewed articles
Imagined Communities
Awareness, Information Sharing, and Privacy on the Facebook, Alessandro Acquisti and Ralph Gross, Carnegie Mellon University http://petworkshop.org/2006/preproc/preproc_03.pdf

Social Network Profiles as Taste Performances, Hugo Liu, Media Laboratory and Program in Comparative Media Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/liu.html

What value does privacy hold for us this day in age?

During my research I consistently found Mark Zuckerberg's name (aka: the "creator" of facebook), it was popping up left and right! As I researched more into the values of privacy I kept finding things Zuckerberg had said, or something that his associates would say about him.
In one such instance there was an interview and the interviewer published in his findings an off the record statement (guess that shows how much the reporter cared for the interviewee's privacy. The statement was: "Off record chat w/ Facebook employee. Me: How does Zuck feel about privacy? Response: [laughter] He doesn't believe in it." is it Zuckerberg doesn't believe in it, or does he just see it in a different light? Zuckerberg said in an interview once that (paraphrased) he believed that it was now a social norm to not have privacy, because people give out personal information to people all over the world now.
When living in a digital age I suppose this was merely a matter of time. But the value of privacy is still held by many. The American Library Association is taking steps in regaining some privacy. A large step in this is simply awareness, and having people know and understand what sort of information they are giving out on a day to day basis.
If you looked at the values of privacy on a time line it may look something like this, from the 1930's to now 2011 with every decade; moreover with every technological leap that is made, a little more "privacy" is sacrificed. We are living in an information age now, where in the world of technology if you have information you have power. The everyday-man(or woman) has this power to a slight degree. If you give out more of your own views on sites like wireclub and myspace you become more popular. If you keep your profile private you don't get many views, or many "friends" thus creating a world where: if you give personal details of your life to people- people like you- when people like you- you feel popular. So is this where the trails leads? Is the value of privacy the price of popularity?
Let's look at this in a social setting. There's a party at your friend's house. You go dressed in just plain pants and a hoodie. When you arrive at the party you don't talk to anyone you don't know, and sit in the corner talking briefly with only those who approach you. When the party ends how "popular" are you?
Now imagine that party but this time you're dressed to the 9's guy or girl, you're sure heads will turn when you walk in the door. Once inside the house you grab a beer hit the toke then attack the dance floor with just confidence. You start talking to anyone, you tell goofy stories of things you've done. You confess to things that others would think you should keep secret. At the end of the party how popular will this person be? Probably a lot more than the person who keeps quiet.
Through my research I am starting to believe that the value of privacy this day in age is simply put: the cost of popularity.

Week Three Research - Values

Conducted my researched concerning values in regards to privacy and how it has changed. I soon found out to no longer be surprised whenever Zuckerberg's name came up. The creator of facebook definitely has some curious insights into privacy and the lack thereof.
My research is as follows:

5 Websites

Facebook Data & Privacy: So Much Has Changed in Two Years http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_data_privacy_so_much_has_changed_in_two_y.php
Facebook’s Eroding Privacy Policy: A Timeline http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/facebook-timeline/

Zuckerberg’s Privacy Stance: Facebook CEO ‘Doesn’t Believe In Privacy’ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/29/zuckerberg-privacy-stance_n_556679.html

Your public Facebook status updates? Now publicly searchable outside Facebook http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/05/14/your-public-facebook-status-updates-now-publicly-searchable-outside-facebook/

Facebook Privacy: 8 Ways to Protect Yourself http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2363178,00.asp

1 Documentary

(This documentary is definitely interesting, curious, all of the different ideas of what privacy is)
American Library Association's "Choose Privacy" http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/02/choose-privacy-video.html

(albeit it is long, this lecture is rather interesting)
1 Video Lecture

27c3: A Critical Overview of 10 years of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (en) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOhbCEX1doc

Consequences of technology

Consequences as defined by one of my favorite websites dictionary.com says"
1. the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier: The accident was the consequence of reckless driving.
2. an act or instance of following something as an effect, result, or outcome.
3. the conclusion reached by a line of reasoning; inference.
The reason I begin by talking about consequences is this: I want to know what the consequences could be, if privacy is really something we have made up; a social construct if you will.
If privacy is something we have made up then it is something we can change. In a sense this supports the argument that privacy is a social construct because everyday we are changing our privacy in life. We choose what we will tweet, or facebook about. We decide if we are going to block someone from seeing our webpage, or if we'll let them see our personal details.
But the dangers to this lifestyle of believing privacy to be real could have a great negative effect on us. For instance in the video I posted in my research blog the man says that the Jews that resisted had a better chance of survival. He also talked about how many choices that were given to the Jews were given in a way that made it look like the alternative was always the better decision. I see the same thing happening with the internet and overall privacy in our day to day lives. We get the options, trust us with your phone number; or telemarketers might call you. Trust us with your financial information and social security; or someone may steal it from you. Trust our web site not to share your information; or don't become a member. Every choice we make regarding privacy creates the mindset that you will be the victim if you don't pick their choice.
People sometimes say they have lost their right to privacy, or they need more privacy. Have these people stopped and realized that perhaps they have been tricking themselves all along that they had privacy to begin with? From the day you are born, your name goes on a piece of paper, stating you are the son or daughter of the parents, the parents home address is on the paper, as well as social security information. Along with this information the doctors have on file your race, your blood type, your physical features and in some cases fingerprints/hand prints. Before the fresh bundle of plushly flesh and high pitched screams leaves the hospital; a handful of people already know more details then the child knows about anything. If you think you've lost privacy, how about looking at it from another point of view. You never had it in the first place. Privacy just like Santa Claus and the Easter bunny is made up, created to give you peace of mind and sometimes joy.
Obsessing about having "privacy" on the internet is like Frankenstein's monster. We create, post, upload, download, educate --you name it! But there is always this ominous feeling in the back of our minds. We still need to have our perfect privacy and in doing so we agree to so many little fine print words on websites. Question: Do you really have privacy if you have to give away all of your information to obtain it?
So where do we go from here? Does this all mean in the end? To start figuring out that we must ask ourselves. What value, have we as a culture placed on this social construct of privacy in our digital age?

Week Two Research-- Consequences!!!

So with the frame of mind that privacy is potentially a myth, what are the consequences to promoting that myth? Creating rules that allow the myth of privacy to exist? What sort of detriment will happen to individuals and groups of people if they continue to live a life where they feel they can actually be private with their business when really privacy doesn’t exist?

This is the primary research I will be basing my blog on.

3 Blogs
Are False Beliefs Useful For Human Rights? Posted on March 21, 2011 http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/are-false-beliefs-useful-for-human-rights/
Facebook Marketing, Your Privacy, and Unintended Consequences http://mlmconsultantsblog.com/facebook-marketing-your-privacy-and-unintended-consequences/
Ethics Center sponsors 'Consequences of Blogging' By Karen ChauApril 1, 2011 http://www.brandeis.com/now/2011/april/blogging.html

1 documentary
Taking this train of thought and applying it to the technical age “False Hopes - Naivety in the Movement” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7pYUzdvYl4

1 Book
Frankenstein—First Three chapters (regarding obsession and consequences)

The Privacy Myth

Lack of privacy has become a social norm, the creator of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg once stated. This is relatively true. Privacy or lack thereof is starting to flood our media, and enter our lives in ways we could not have predicted. But did we ever have “privacy” to begin with? Let’s start off with the fundamentals of the issue at hand.

Privacy as defined in the dictionary (dictionary.com): the state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs: the right to privacy. I have found it interesting that the dictionary uses the words “the right to privacy” and this is something we hear often, people often perceive privacy as a right. But here in America if you look at the Constitution you will find that out of all of your “rights” of this free country, you do not have the “right” of privacy.

This leaves me with my research question: is privacy real; or just a myth technology has helped expose? My personal theory on this goes as such; privacy is as real as the consequences it creates. When it comes to privacy I agree with Mark Zuckerberg that people have become very comfortable with openly giving information and allowing people to know things about us, even if we don’t know who is finding out the information. It has become a social norm to give out many little details on Facebook.

There are many different ways that people try to make the internet more private, you can load a website up with passwords, and “privacy settings”. You can create a page where only two people can view it if you want. But when it comes to the internet, whatever is uploaded, remains uploaded. It doesn’t matter if you delete a picture, a Facebook status, an entire MySpace account. The foot print of it remains on the internet and can be found and viewed if whoever is looking for it has the knowhow.

So is privacy even real? Or is privacy a myth that we have been living under for so long and we are now waking up and realizing that privacy is just as real the American Dream? After looking at numerous articles on the issue of privacy, not just in regards to the internet but too many different walks of life I am starting to believe that privacy is social construct which has been created to give us a sense of control over our own lives. But the myth of privacy is slowly being revealed a little more every day, with every hacker, every government satellite, and every person who is caught looking out from behind their curtains spying on the neighbor.

So with the frame of mind that privacy is potentially a myth, what are the consequences to promoting that myth? Creating rules that allow the myth of privacy to exist? What sort of detriment will happen to individuals and groups of people if they continue to live a life where they feel they can actually be private with their business when really privacy doesn’t exist?