Privacy: An Almost Archaic Idea
The idea of having privacy has completely changed as media and the Internet have evolved. I would argue that based on the way that we use media and how our data is shared; the notion of privacy is almost an archaic idea.
Before the Internet, our idea of privacy involved being able to have space that no one could tamper. We often viewed our homes as our private spaces and we were careful with the people who we would allow inside our safe havens. We would carefully choose what we told about our lives and what aspect of our lives we were willing to share we certain people. All of this has changed as the Internet evolved.
Now, we rarely need to voice things out loud since we share our private lives in public domains, but we expect them to fit the definition of privacy. We expect to be able to go on a website, share our points of view, and for our ideas to only be shared with the people we have decided that are trustworthy of how we perceive life. If the world was perfect, that is how things would work; unfortunately, the notion of privacy is a very complex issue and as we publish our communication, our layers of privacy start to fade.
Some people view communication through the Internet as a private link or even a tool to reach other people from afar like you normally would face-to-face. I think not. I think of our technologies like a cyber megaphone that can be heard by anyone who is actually listening instead of two cans attached to a string and directly sending a message to a selected intended audience.
We live in the age where it is difficult to protect your privacy and in order to do so; you must disconnect or not participate. Unfortunately, there are consequences to doing so and it prevents us from being able to connect with the world in a manner that is necessary in our current century. So what option do we have? Do we give up our privacy?
Before watching PBS’ United States of Secrets documentary and learning about what Edward Snowden revealed about our government gathering information on us, I had an idea that we were monitored with the utilitarian goal of keeping our country safe. In my mind, it made sense that since we have agencies such as the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, that specialize in surveillance; However, it is not the same imagining being observed and actually being told the details on how much our privacy is being tampered. “I have nothing to hide!” I would think, but the fact that I am not doing anything illegal does not mean that I am not entitled to keeping what I consider private to myself.
I understand that we cannot have complete privacy and national security at the same time. I personally I am willing to give up some of my privacy as long as my personal details are not directly published or seen by another human being. I do not mind if metadata is used to monitor our security, but when my personal conversations and the content of my ideas are monitored, then I feel violated. We are not regulating data to fit our model of privacy. I think that the analysis of our data should be limited to algorithms; not individuals. It is sad the Internet has the ability to determine if a young woman is pregnant before she has the opportunity to tell her family. We are humans and we deserve to be able to choose when we want to share information that differentiate us from other people.
It is interesting how you can “protect” yourself by disconnecting yourself. Quite frankly, I rather drink the “Kool-Aid” as I am not willing to discontinue my use of technology and at this point I do not feel targeted in the surveillance endeavors of the government; but what about those innocent people who feel violated by this breach of privacy? Is it really feasible to discontinue use of social media and still be connected in today’s world? I plan to continue to use technology, as I enjoy most of the benefits, but I plan to do so knowing the fact that anything that I do while connected to the Internet is most likely being broadcasted in one way or another. In additional to being transmitted to the world, I know I am reachable for who I am in many aspects, but in my opinion, that is something that is something I have accepted before I started using the internet.
To have true privacy is exhausting and I am already enjoying drinking the juice — as there is no going back to where we were before the Internet. I will not live my life in paranoia. I will not cover the camera on my laptop or my cell phone because of the fear that someone is watching me. What will they see? Either my confused looks when I am trying to understand complex topics like privacy or the entertaining view — mostly disturbing — of me dancing in my underwear when I think no one is watching. I will not stop using Google because I like the benefits it provides and how I can customize it to serve me more efficiently. I will not cut off social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram because I am worried that people will know who I associate with, or where I take pictures — that makes me who I am and I am not ashamed of it — and I certainly will NOT wrap my phone on tinfoil — that just looks ridiculous and not to mention time consuming. I will be sure to keep all of these things in mind if I ever see myself in the position where I feel like I am doing something inappropriate, but until that day arrives, I will continue to drink the wine.
Yet, the fact that I do not think I am living my life in a sordid manner and I do not mind who peeks into my life does not mean that there are people who do mind. Even more importantly, I am troubled by the idea that this sort of surveillance has been taking place for a long time and we were recently informed about it. As Edward Snowden revealed, we deserve to know that our government has been collecting data and monitoring who we are in the most intimate way for over a decade. It almost feels like friendly fire and we should not live on a battlefield. Privacy is a fundamental human right, and for a government to take such a right from its citizens without their endorsement paves the road to anarchy. I do not think we are that kind of country; nor we should be.
