Thoughts from CMU 302

Of this week’s topics I am choosing to focus on a very important subject that has in the past, and will certainly be in the future, very controversial, privacy. For many reasons privacy seems more like a chore than a fundamental right these days. Is our privacy being taken away from us or is it being forfeited? Which ever way you choose to look at it, it is my opinion that we are heading down a dangerous road. In an interview with Stefanac, Bruce Sterling asserts, “I have a real problem with the word privacy. It meant something at one point…But now, there are so many types of intrusions, the whole term will have to be renegotiated.” Blogs, while vitally important to increased democratization are enabling the further degradation of privacy.

Am I the only person that thinks the idea of an online personal diary strange? I had always thought that a diary was meant to be the quite reflection of ones own thoughts reserved for that person alone. Yet, now a diary has become fodder for water cooler talk? The whole thing seems rather voyeuristic and if not damaging in it own right can certainly become so. Some of the greatest works of non-fiction have been the personal diary’s of great thinkers and philosophers. Leonardo Da Vinci is one example that Stefanac describes in her book. However, she also plainly says that he went to great lengths to ensure that what he wrote in them remained private and in decipherable, clearly privacy was something very important to him. So although we can say now that reading his personal journal has been illuminating I am sure that if he were still alive he would have something different to say.

As I briefly referenced above, this idea of looking through someone’s metaphorical window can be dangerous. It is not a great leap that once someone has gotten that kind of insight that they might cultivate a notion of entitlement. This to a large extent speaks to the way American’s feel about celebrities. The argument goes that once a person chooses to be in the spot life their life is an open book. That idea is ridiculous, and its dangers have become all too well known, case in point Princess Diana. Furthermore, in “We the Media,” Gillmor discusses in depth the technology that is leading to “gross invasions of privacy.” Cell phones with picture and video capability can be uploaded to the internet is seconds. What regard do these people have for the reputations of those they are filming? None, even though the government and courts have said that people have a right to protect their reputation. While technological advancement and the way of new media has limitless potential to aid and engage the average person I think we must take special attention and awareness when it comes to invasions of privacy, and that we must in some cases protect ourselves from ourselves.

Questions:

1) In what ways is privacy being taken from us or how are we forfeiting it? How by keeping online journals are we giving up the rights to our lives?

2) In what ways is new technology a necessary precursor to the desire for increased democratization? or vice versa?