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Sunday, September 19, 2010
Facebook: stalk or be stalked.....
Social media is taking over the world. People seem to know more about each other these days than ever before. We have all searched for friends and family via facebook and twitter and shared stories and laughs threw the keyboard. So when does it go to far? Are people safe? Could your job be as stake? People share everything on facebook and now with the new smart phones application (foursquare), people can now track your current location through updates. Sounds cool right? The problem with this is that all it takes is the wrong person with the wrong motive and your life could be in danger. So when will the government put holds and restraints on some of this new technology or do we even need any restraints at all?
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There was a journalist I believe for the washington post if I had to guess that did this little experiment where he literally stoked some random 20-30 year old woman through twitter, Facebook, and foursquare and then confronted her and told her how easy it was to predict where she is going. I wish I could remember where I saw this info so I could put up a link, but he didn't know anything about this person and pretty much knew her entire weekly schedule.
ReplyDeleteCreepy. But there's an interesting dichotomy when it comes to our perceptions of what we consider "private." Many struggle to keep personal information from those they interact with in the physical space, but will publish it far and wide on the virtual space assuming those proximate friends and relatives won't find it. It strangely feels safer to tell intimate secrets to cyberspace. I figure this is a fairly short-lived transition. That as the "virtual" world ceases to be a separate space we will becomes as adept in navigating it, knowing it and acting in it with safety as we do in the "physical" world.
ReplyDeleteFacebook has enabled a new feature recently "Places." One checks in with their current location. My account keeps suggesting that I check-in. But it seems kind of creepy. There are some people that are constantly updating their status, like a play-by-play of their daily life. I'm not so much concerned for my safety but rather the annoyance of it.
ReplyDeleteThis stalking idea also reminds me of the chip that nike used for putting in a running shoe. It was created to record distance and different aspects of your running process. It was found out that the chip could ultimately be used as a tracking device.
ReplyDeleteIts scary what technology is capable of and what it enables people to do. I do personally think more research should go into the harms and ways to prevent stalking and free personal information gathering.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061201111821.htm
I totally have to agree with all these statements! I think there should be some restrictions on all this tracking technology, because I can't count how often I have heard stuff about a stalker on the news. And with these kinds of technology it will be even easier to stalk people. So I think the government should intervene at some point. But as contradictionary as it might seem, the government probably uses these kinds of devices the most.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with these statements. Sites like these can be dangerous especially with younger people beginning to take part in them. I think i would be safer if there was some form of control. Even though sites like facebook have a wide variety of security, stalkers still manage to find ways into peoples lives through these sites.
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