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Graduate trying out life on the other side of the world.. stay tuned.

Monday 10 January 2011

Is there anything such as privacy any more? Doubtful, very doubtful.

Now, this morning my housemate said something to me that got me thinking. I will say at this point before I delve into this matter that I'm no expert and am simply just thinking away.. there was a story making headline news about a footballer having to apologise about posting a picture on Twitter of a referee wearing Man United's (I think) strip. Fair enough that Twitter is a public site and as a well known figure, they should have to take some reasoning when publishing posts to thousands of people who follow said person.

Now I feel this is a little ridiculous. I could bring in the whole freedom of speech argument and hammer that until the cows come home. I will mention it but I won't go on and on about it.. but seriously now, who would complain about a chuffing picture that really has no relevant effect on how the world goes round on a daily basis, or has any great impact on our lives? If people have complained about it and are reading this, then do yourself a favour and get. a. life. Please. Cheers.

Going on from this, it could be that this guy thought it would be a bit of a joke and accurately showcase his feelings towards whatever it was he was getting all het up about. Fair enough right? I think so. But! no matter how private you can make something people can ALWAYS have access to the info you put out there. I am always mindful of what I post on here- i'll never mention where I work or what I do, names of people or where I live. That's common sense, as this is a public site- and god knows who will be looking at it. Yes, I decided to put where I am based, and a picture, but I do that as I know that I am happy for people to know the bare minimum about me and nothing more. Besides. I like that picture!

But do we ever think about what we put on our Facebook profile? I know I forget constantly that I have a number of friends on there that I havent spoken to in going on 5 years and I doubt I'll ever feel the need to talk to them ever again, yet they are my virtual 'friends'. Going on this they are virtual strangers, yet they can get access to my employer, phone number, check out my new hair cut and get the goss of my incredibly boring life. (And I KNOW that is my own doing- I put them up there after all..for the same reasons I have a LinkedIn profile.. networking..) Facebook stalking has become widely accepted as the norm, but hasn't it made us all into the socially un-acceptable peeping toms?! I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to this kind of thing- stalking ex boyfriends, ex best friends, family, and that girl you always hated but yet have a strange desire to know what the hell she is doing these days, then there's the looking of people's ugly babies. (a whole different kettle of fish. And harsh, I know. But nobody will ever know, right?! And don't act like you've never done it!)

I think its clear to say it's not the twitching of curtains and nosey neighbours we need to be aware of, but its our virtual friends and 'tweeps'...

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