Ever
since Myspace, Facebook, twitter, etc. have become popular; we have seen a
dramatic decline in personal privacy. We post so much about our lives for the
world to see- what we're doing, pictures of us, our beliefs, etc., but
sometimes the things others post is even worse. With this digital age, taboo
subjects are publicized much more. The article "When Rape Goes Viral"
is a testament to this. It is one thing for a person to have to go through such
a traumatic experience, but when it is captured in pictures or on video and is
posted online, that is a whole different story. “The
horror of having the intimate violation of your body exposed, shared,
transmitted, and existing in a way that you know can never be expunged is
awful,” (Friedman). Rape has always been a touchy subject that people try to
sweep under the rug, but now we can’t avoid it. In this digital age we are
forced to confront the issue at hand. I only wish it was not at the expense of
the victim so much. They have already suffered enough before having their
privacy invaded and posted on the internet for everyone to see.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Nothing to Hide?
A lot of people claim they have Nothing to Hide when it comes to the internet, and this may be true, but the online world can be very daunting when it comes to privacy. People who aren't careful about what they post may not care who sees it now, but they may no take into account the fact that once it's out there- it is ALWAYS there. At 20 years old, sure you may have nothing to hide, but will you feel that way 20 years down the road when your child is looking through embarrassing pictures, blog posts, status updates etc.? Probably not.
We should all be concerned about internet privacy because it is not only about what we post anymore. Through the internet, a stranger can find out everything about you- your private and public life, your family, your friends, and even your location. Even if you claim to have noting to hide, things on the internet can be misconstrued. After watching the video in class, I was surprised to see how many people were questioned by the government or even arrested for posting something that was taken out of context and seen as a potential "threat". The film really made me feel like big brother is always watching. Even if you delete something, it can still be found, so we have to be cautious about what we do online.
We should all be concerned about internet privacy because it is not only about what we post anymore. Through the internet, a stranger can find out everything about you- your private and public life, your family, your friends, and even your location. Even if you claim to have noting to hide, things on the internet can be misconstrued. After watching the video in class, I was surprised to see how many people were questioned by the government or even arrested for posting something that was taken out of context and seen as a potential "threat". The film really made me feel like big brother is always watching. Even if you delete something, it can still be found, so we have to be cautious about what we do online.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Living in a networked world has its pros and cons.
On one hand, we have access to more information than we could read in a lifetime, tedious tasks have been simplified, and we are connected to anyone in the world through the internet (among lots of other amazing pros). When I was little I imagined we'd be flying hovercrafts and have robots checking us out at the grocery store. We haven't quite gotten to that, but the progress we've made through the Internet is still dizzying.
So what about the bad? Do the pros outweigh the cons? In some ways I'd say yes. But the most troublesome thing (in my opinion) that has emerged in this Networked world is a whole new generation of Disconnected people. My parents and grandparents are always going out of their way to talk to strangers and connect with other people. Our generation is not as interested in this. I see it in myself too. I'm more involved with my cell phone than I am with most people I am in contact with throughout a typical day. It is even worse with the kids who have always had a smart phone in their life. My little cousins will barely speak to anyone unless it's via text, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc. Unlike me, who got a crappy flip phone when I was 13 and not a day younger, these kids have had access to the entire internet from as early as 7. Yes, 7 is the age one of my cousins got her first smartphone. Now she is 12 and we can't hold a conversation (because one or both of us is on our phones), but then I remember that this 12 year old has over 500 followers on Instagram. She is more connected to these people (most of which she doesn't even know) than she is to me. It makes me sad, because their life is completely centered around their technology. Not that mine isn't- I am guilty of this too, as I said earlier. But, I remember what it was like before smartphones. My phone could make calls and text, and that was essentially it. I am definitely more disconnected to other human beings than I was before the internet and smart phones, but I worry even more for the generation below us.
We are losing the ability to communicate face-to-face. We may be in the Networked world, but as far as human to human interaction, we are much more disconnected.
On one hand, we have access to more information than we could read in a lifetime, tedious tasks have been simplified, and we are connected to anyone in the world through the internet (among lots of other amazing pros). When I was little I imagined we'd be flying hovercrafts and have robots checking us out at the grocery store. We haven't quite gotten to that, but the progress we've made through the Internet is still dizzying.
So what about the bad? Do the pros outweigh the cons? In some ways I'd say yes. But the most troublesome thing (in my opinion) that has emerged in this Networked world is a whole new generation of Disconnected people. My parents and grandparents are always going out of their way to talk to strangers and connect with other people. Our generation is not as interested in this. I see it in myself too. I'm more involved with my cell phone than I am with most people I am in contact with throughout a typical day. It is even worse with the kids who have always had a smart phone in their life. My little cousins will barely speak to anyone unless it's via text, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc. Unlike me, who got a crappy flip phone when I was 13 and not a day younger, these kids have had access to the entire internet from as early as 7. Yes, 7 is the age one of my cousins got her first smartphone. Now she is 12 and we can't hold a conversation (because one or both of us is on our phones), but then I remember that this 12 year old has over 500 followers on Instagram. She is more connected to these people (most of which she doesn't even know) than she is to me. It makes me sad, because their life is completely centered around their technology. Not that mine isn't- I am guilty of this too, as I said earlier. But, I remember what it was like before smartphones. My phone could make calls and text, and that was essentially it. I am definitely more disconnected to other human beings than I was before the internet and smart phones, but I worry even more for the generation below us.
We are losing the ability to communicate face-to-face. We may be in the Networked world, but as far as human to human interaction, we are much more disconnected.
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