Comments on: Response to Van Elsas blog post about privacy

By: Alexander van Elsas

Alexander van Elsas — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:34:32 +0000

let’s hope so. I believe, however, that there are tools needed to help users protect their privacy online. If we go on like this, the problem will get worse imo.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:40:17 +0000

Alexander, I do of course agree to your statement that, like in your example, widespread and unfair behavior can harm people’s reputation thoroughly. You will always find these situations, when looking for them. My statement is though, that in most of the cases, it doesn’t change much from the physical world. Internet behavior may amplify the negative aspects, it does not always so: it gives you more opportunities to react, whereas IRL this is sometimes quite difficult.
Your presumption that people, in the physical world, will ask themselves whether the information is correct or not, is naive, I am afraid. It would be nice to test this, most probably there are already numbers available on the subject. If so, I would love to know them :-).

And as for databases and storage of information: yes, you are right. Information is and will stay stored. But hey, let’s act like humans behind the machines! And moreover: we should keep telling people to stay as consistent, fair, human, credible, as they think they are IRL.
Will I engage somebody that has a youth picture while partying on the Internet? Probably. Will I take somebody serious when I do not agree with him/her on postings I have read on the Internet and when meeting in different circumstances? Probably, but depending on the circumstances. Will I become his/hers best buddy? Not sure, but that doesn’t change a lot from real life!

I do not say there are no dangers. I keep thinking (wishful thinking?) that WE can influence the trends. And I am not so sure the trends are confirming ‘de-humanization’ of the Internet.

By: Alexander van Elsas

Alexander van Elsas — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:14:00 +0000

Thanks for your response to my earlier post.

You are right that the phenomena I wrote about already exist in the physical world. The difference is still pretty big in my opinion. The scale online potentially has grown to the entire world.
A simple example about reputation is the case where a young child played with a stick and imagined he was a Star Wars figure. He didn’t know, but another child made a video of it and published it on YouTube. That video was viewed millions of times and the boy’s reputation was harmed terribly. It ended up really messy (and no, I won’t publish the link to that video).
There is no way that could have happened with that magnitude without the web.
In the physical world you may hear about others, but there is always the uncertainty if the information is correct or ot. On the web, everything gets stored. Google never forgets. People tend to take documented information more seriously, regardless if it is the truth or not.
It is the scale and accessibility that has changed this privacy game forever.