Young, Dumb and Broke.
Can I just say something for a second,
Why are these young ones in such a rush to grow up? I could answer that question for them, but the situation was different for "my generation". Though we were in a rush, we were spared growing up online from a very young age. We were at the genesis of social media, whilst they are living in the era of its popularity. Though the internet will remember some of my mistakes, it will definitely remember all of theirs. It is for this reason that the right to be forgotten has been codified in the new General Data Protection Regulation, or why, in the new Green Paper released by the British Government, greater efforts are being made to guarantee the internet safety of young users.
But for me, it's not the fact that the internet will always remember, but that for many people, this is okay. Privacy is no longer positive, in that I have to let you in, but negative, in that you are already in and I tell you when, and where, to stop. Which, if you ask me, is different kinds of mad. It's why people are frustrated at the recent data breaches; because companies have gone beyond the boundary without permission and without abandon. All companies can say is; "you gave us an inch, and we took the mile" or, worse still, "read the contract and be more vigilant about your privacy and data protection", knowing full well that many, including yours truly, do not bother to read contracts put before them on the internet (unless they financial in nature).
This does not make us young or dumb, but it does suggest that we may be broke; having our digital image co-opted and stolen from us without our permission and used against us. In an age where privacy is now a privilege, not an inherent right, losing the ability to control the extent to which our lives are private and truly ours is incredibly powerful. This is not to say that we've lost it, but we are getting there, as evinced by the increasing adoption of legislation designed to further etch into stone our inherent rights to privacy. I honestly wish some part of this was novel, or somewhat original but it is not. My comments echo the millions who feel violated and used, and worse still, refuse to admit it; which may be worse than the actual violation. I understand the desire to advertise that you fell for propaganda, or that you drank the kool-aid by the pint, but only when we do that can we, personally and collectively, evaluate our beliefs and our decision-making processes. Only then, can we encourage critical thinking as a skill for the every-man, as opposed to just for academics, or students in the completion of their education. Only then can we practice the necessary skills that make for a good debate wherein the object is not victory, but understanding.
Rather than focusing on the outrage we feel at having our privacy violated, which is perfectly justified, and allowing that outrage to obscure the reasons why it was stolen, why not do both? *insert meme here*.
Why not use the outrage to talk about what the subversion of privacy means? The death knell of democracy? The manipulation of the populous? The inability to remove less than flattering pictures from the internet (here's looking at you Beyonce pic circa 2013)? Or the fact that we no longer have a say in what others see of us? That's the choice for us to make.
Till next time x
Why are these young ones in such a rush to grow up? I could answer that question for them, but the situation was different for "my generation". Though we were in a rush, we were spared growing up online from a very young age. We were at the genesis of social media, whilst they are living in the era of its popularity. Though the internet will remember some of my mistakes, it will definitely remember all of theirs. It is for this reason that the right to be forgotten has been codified in the new General Data Protection Regulation, or why, in the new Green Paper released by the British Government, greater efforts are being made to guarantee the internet safety of young users.
But for me, it's not the fact that the internet will always remember, but that for many people, this is okay. Privacy is no longer positive, in that I have to let you in, but negative, in that you are already in and I tell you when, and where, to stop. Which, if you ask me, is different kinds of mad. It's why people are frustrated at the recent data breaches; because companies have gone beyond the boundary without permission and without abandon. All companies can say is; "you gave us an inch, and we took the mile" or, worse still, "read the contract and be more vigilant about your privacy and data protection", knowing full well that many, including yours truly, do not bother to read contracts put before them on the internet (unless they financial in nature).
This does not make us young or dumb, but it does suggest that we may be broke; having our digital image co-opted and stolen from us without our permission and used against us. In an age where privacy is now a privilege, not an inherent right, losing the ability to control the extent to which our lives are private and truly ours is incredibly powerful. This is not to say that we've lost it, but we are getting there, as evinced by the increasing adoption of legislation designed to further etch into stone our inherent rights to privacy. I honestly wish some part of this was novel, or somewhat original but it is not. My comments echo the millions who feel violated and used, and worse still, refuse to admit it; which may be worse than the actual violation. I understand the desire to advertise that you fell for propaganda, or that you drank the kool-aid by the pint, but only when we do that can we, personally and collectively, evaluate our beliefs and our decision-making processes. Only then, can we encourage critical thinking as a skill for the every-man, as opposed to just for academics, or students in the completion of their education. Only then can we practice the necessary skills that make for a good debate wherein the object is not victory, but understanding.
Rather than focusing on the outrage we feel at having our privacy violated, which is perfectly justified, and allowing that outrage to obscure the reasons why it was stolen, why not do both? *insert meme here*.
Why not use the outrage to talk about what the subversion of privacy means? The death knell of democracy? The manipulation of the populous? The inability to remove less than flattering pictures from the internet (here's looking at you Beyonce pic circa 2013)? Or the fact that we no longer have a say in what others see of us? That's the choice for us to make.
Till next time x
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