Linked by David Adams on Wed 19th Mar 2008 10:41 UTC
The technologies we rely on, both new and old, are now very effective tools that both governments and private firms are using to gather, analyze, store, and sell information about our private lives, habits, purchases, whereabouts, and even thoughts and beliefs. But some of this invasion of privacy pays a welcome dividend in convenience and power in our own lives. Where do we draw the line, and how can we use this potentially-invasive technology for our benefit, without sacrificing our private lives to commerce?
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Member since:1997-10-01
It's true that being watched tends to make human beings alter their behavior significantly. And it makes most of us uncomfortable unless we are performing some kind of rehearsed action that we expect to be watched. It's like the study that showed that even putting a picture of some eyes on an "honor system" payment jar dramatically increased payment rates. (couldn't find citation)
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Member since:
2008-01-08
Interesting, but I would like to add another item for consideration: how you feel in such an environment.
this is more important to me, than most of the points you've mentioned. for instance, I once worked at an ISP company, who had surveileance means of monitoring what happens on my computer screen (think vnc-like), and recorded the incoming calls and my responses.
they could have used this data at any time, but to know that you are followed was very discouraging.
you limit yourself, you are acting less freely, and less spontaneously, because it's not a one-on-one talk anymore. others can know a side of you that you don't want them to know. so you limit yourself.
and do we want such a society of people not behaving like themselves? we lose much of the humane characteristics, and fall into a depressing mood environment. The right to privacy is also that you decide to whom you open up to, and without fear that it'll come back to haunt you from unforeseen places.