Writer's Block: Confidential

[packbat]

Prying eyes are everywhere, from pesky younger siblings to the Patriot Act. What steps do you take to protect your privacy, on or offline? View other answers

Like most people, I use the incredible power of not doing anything worth invading my privacy for. It's dumb, but I don't really worry about people invading my privacy most of the time.

Comments

[bourgeoisify.livejournal.com]

I agree completely with this! I don't disclose information. :D

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I do, actually. :/

It's reached the point where I have two distinct online identities.

[the-zaniak.livejournal.com]

I have no real sense of privacy. I publish almost every thought that comes into my head.

Only two?

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I actually censor myself a fair bit. First: I don't talk about atheism on Facebook (and don't link from Facebook back out to here), and second: I avoid giving other people's personal info (I might tell their anecdotes, but always anonymized, or give credit, but always anonymized).

Re: Only two?

[roaminrob.livejournal.com]

| I actually censor myself a fair bit. First: I don't talk about atheism on Facebook (and don't link from Facebook back out to here)...

If you do that, then you understand why privacy is important.

Re: Only two?

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a matter of control.

[remix79.livejournal.com]

Well, the more you know about someone, the more you can predict their next move, the more you can control them and the less worrisome the gathering of future information becomes. Sure, it's fine in today's society where we actually are pretty sensitive about treating people right. But it's like the right to own guns; they aren't really important until shit hits the fan.

The problem is the gathering of information is so abstract and we haven't reached an event that really makes people stand up and take notice about how much information someone or some organization knows about you. Take the right of health care companies to refuse you health care based on your genes; I can see that on coming. It was even a debate topic a year or so ago.

There is no clear line where we know that "too much" information has been gathered; we're simply being protective, and we don't know exactly when to say when.

I find it worrisome, but it's so abstract and there is no clear danger on the horizon, so we don't know how to muster a good example to protect ourselves. I think I'll post more in my own journal...

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I know, I know. Regulation on a lot of those points would be a good thing - your income shouldn't affect your insurance premiums (http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2008/05/two-scams-both.html), for example - but I'm usually so overwhelmed when I try to think about things that I fold and do nothing.

Yeah, I shouldn't, and I should support efforts of those concerned with privacy, but I've not got enough hours in a day already.

[remix79.livejournal.com]

I understand. We (and by we, I mean you and me both) won't act until it reaches a crisis level or something really game-defining. And then we will act in the interest of convenience over freedom. Minority Report, for example. :L Ah well, here's to it not happening in our lifetimes. *clink* *drinks*