Privacy in a Very Open Internet
The advent of social software and related technologies has resulted in an extraordinarily public world for those of use who choose to participate. The emergence of each new application expands our ability to express ourselves virtually to the point today where we now have a tremendous ability to carve out our own presence on the Internet, and create our world in our own image.
For example:
- Our Facebook page shows who we know, how we know them, what our interests are, what movies and books we like, and what we don’t like.
- Our blogs depict our innermost thoughts, plans, passions, gripes, aspirations, and even secrets.
- Our Flickr pages show what we look like, where we went for vacation, what our new car looks like, what our children look like, and even what our house looks like.
- Our Twitter account gives moment-to-moment accounts of what we do during the day, when we’re leaving the house, where we’re going, and frequently impulsive statements that should not be revealed but are anyway.
- Our LinkedIn page tells where we’ve worked, for how long, what we did there and what our career aspirations are.
The power and flexibility afforded to users by these applications is tremendous - however their use can come at a price.
Taken on their own, the information we share enables us to reveal a sliver of who we are to the friends we have on each site. We may occasionally reveal a secret or two, but in the moment it doesn’t always seem like a big deal. A single confession or ill-considered statement seems harmless considering how many comments a typical person makes online over the years. But that’s the problem.
Whereas taking this information on an isolated case-by-case basis presents only a glimpse, when gathered together collectively the implications are truly staggering.
Pieced together, the information we reveal about ourselves online yields an amazingly comprehensive view of who we are, and in incredible detail. And more often than not all this information is publicly available to anyone who care to look - including wives, children, bosses, potential-bosses, or even ne’er do wells who would seek to abuse and exploit this information.
Furthermore, unlike face-to-face conversations where your comments disappear into the ether the moment they leave your lips, written statements or uploaded images and video are forever etched into the fabric of the internet through a process called indexing, and can be called upon by search engines by anyone.
Some search engines, such as Google, also store a copy of the content on their servers to expedite the search process and reduce demands for system resources. What this means is your content is immediately replicated across the web, regardless of whether you end up deleting it or not - once it’s posted there’s no going back.
Increasingly this information is being used for purposes not originally intended by the ones who initially posted the content. Potential employers are frequently beginning to conduct searches into prospective employees via search engines to see what may unexpectedly emerge. So the embarrassing 10-year old photo from the New Year’s Eve party may not remain past tense - it may cost you a desired position.
In my case a harmless search for my name by my supervisor yielded a tidal wave of information on my Internet use. “Mike, your Internet footprint is HUGE!” she told me. In an instant she discovered my blogs, my Twitter page, my YouTube page, and a whole slew of accounts I forgot I had.
In my case nothing harmful emerged from her epiphany aside from the embarrassment of my guitar performances being promoted at all staff meetings since. However others have not been so lucky.
In the case of a young lady named Marissa Schneider, her MySpace contributions have become the subject of investigation in a lawsuit Schneider’s family has launched against Chrysler after a devastating car crash.
According to Idaho News Now (”Victim’s MySpace page subpoenaed in lawsuit“, 15 February 2008):
“Last week, Chrysler issued a subpoena to get full access to Marissa’s My Space account, including private blogs which have been largely unchanged since her accident.“
A catastrophe such as is hardly something each of us would consider when posting to our blogs, however in Marissa’s case Chrysler is arguing it’s relevant for the case.
“ Marissa’s MySpace page includes some curse words and an admission that she smoked pot in the past. But the Schneiders’ attorney, Karen Koehler of Seattle, says both drivers were sober the night of the head-on crash and that Chrysler is trying to dig up dirt on a young woman incapable of defending herself.”
It’s critical that users have firmly established boundaries in place long before logging on to ensure it becomes common practice. My rule of thumb is to ask “Would I be comfortable with my grandmother, daughter, or boss reading this information? What about a complete stranger?” Could knowledge of this information be exploited?”
Once information is released, we are effectively powerless over what happens to it on the open web. Restraint of tongue and pen can only be beneficial.
February 17th, 2008 at 11:43 am
It really is staggering taken all together, an considering the ages at which people are now beginning to leave their footprints on the web - ages when caution and discretion are not very well developed - I can only imagine the long term vulnerabilities this could create.
While Marissa Schneider’s situation “seems” like an unlikely occurrence, there are any number of ways in which that very full profile we unintentionally create can be exploited.
But I see no solution to it, no matter how cautious we are. I really don’t.
February 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Interestingly someone who stumbled through here didn’t like this post too much and said something to the effect of “well if you don’t want people knowing about you, then don’t use social software.”
Her language was much less polished and carried with it serious negative undertones, but on a basic level the point is true enough.
On the other hand she also seriously missed the point of this post, which is to be careful and consider the ramifications of your content before it’s made public.
I’m a firm believer in the power and value of social software not just in education, but to bring people together from across cultures and nationalities. The new web is an incredible thing.
The situation need not be black and white - e.g. use it or don’t. My point is that this technology is extraordinarily powerful and valuable, but needs to be used wisely.