Brenton
The Illusion of Privacy
July 26th 2007 06:54
We all want a bit of privacy. Even the most extroverted of us are generally inclined to want to go to the loo withuot an audience. Yet it would seem to be arguable that Privacy is losing it's value, discovering a reduced appeal. The desire of so many to appear on shows such as Big Brother - the ultimate in zero privacy - would seem a testement to this. Further more, those who share every element of their life on the Internet - blogging, Myspace, Facebook, Youtube - freely surrender their privcy.
However, not all loss of privacy is so volountary. A recent article from the Sydney Morning Herald discussed the increasing use of Closed Circut filming of Australian Schools. We are also on film walking down a city street, or at a railway station. We are being filmed at the airport. We are being filmed in the Supermarkets. There are people out in the world who probably know more about us then we could even suspect.
With this in mind, it's easy to consider that the Facebook crowd might not be so much surrendering privacy, but giving in to the fact that it's all an illusion anyway.
Where does it go from here? Could you wake up and find your face suddenly selling phones on Bus Seats, with an insulting message? Yes. It's happened before.
The 'Flickrgate' controvery, over Virgin mobile using Creative Commons lisenced photographs from Flickr (without giving notice to the original photographers) is a lesson in the unpredictability of an age where every shiny surface is a mirror, and playing 'spot my own face on somebody eles website' isn't even a novelty any more.
Consider your own feelings about this. Have a think about how privacy is possible when your every moment is captured. And if you prefer to mull it over in the fresh outside air, don't forget to smile for the cameras.
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