Hack The Planet

Because if you don't, who will?

Friday, July 15, 2011

Anonymity in a connected world

In a recent Network World article author Dave Keams postulated that in the connected world we live in that anonymity is viewed as odd and even suspicious. He uses an example of a girl who is trying to look up information on a possible suitor and can’t find anything. She views his lack of an online presence as a possible reason to not see him, even though in the physical world he seems quite the catch.

I find this very funny on two fronts. In our new, fully connected world we have lost our ability to connect without the use of technology. The second is that good internet habits are looked at as a negative because having your private life not splashed all over the digital tabloids that are Facebook, MySpace and other sites is not acceptable.

It reminds me of Orwell’s 1984 and some of the commentary that has come from it. Basically if you have nothing to hide then why aren’t you allowing strangers to view your every move. How the government has instituted draconian laws allowing them to listen in on all our citizens phone calls and read all of their email because again, why worry if you have nothing to hide.

It is a brave, new world but not necessarily a better one.

posted by holliday at 5:35 am  

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