December 7, 2007 Privacy

Let’s talk about privacy. Two questions: Is there such a thing anymore? And should anyone really care?

There has been a lot of talk about the whole Facebook Beacon program, which basically advertises, on Facebook, your purchases through affiliate sites. There has been a HUGE movement against this in the past month. The problem is, it wasn’t an “opt-in” program. You would automatically be signed up for it regardless of your knowledge of it happening. It got me thinking: In an age of the internet and all of this technology, is there really such thing as privacy anymore. I find it interesting that most people don’t realize what gets tracked in regards to your internet usage . . . which is basically everything. I know what you’re thinking, “Oh crap, I’ve been to quite a few questionable sites recently, some of which may or may not have involved midgets and squirt guns.” Every single search query you enter into Google, Yahoo, or any other search engine gets logged. Every single site you visit gets tracked. Even when companies say they don’t store your internet behavior, they lie. Technically they don’t “store” it, but they do gather it and sell it off to other companies so that these companies can deliver you more targeted and personalized ads. It gets tracked all the way down to your IP address. But don’t worry, this is the one time it’s nice to be viewed as a number, not a name.

Now I could go on about the internet all day. But what about phone calls and video cameras? To tell you the truth, it doesn’t bother me. You think the government really wants to monitor you talking about the new shoes you bought on clearance at Aldo’s? I’ll give you the answer, only to the old JELL-O jingle of our youth: “H-E-L-L-NO.” And what about video monitoring? I don’t really think the “monitoring police” would huddle around a video camera watching me deliver my exquisite rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” in the shower. Do you really think they’d monitor every single house? Again, think JELL-O theme. Only people with suspicious behavior would be monitored. And plus, it would cost WAY too much money.

To break it down: Do I have a problem with a program using my internet behavior to advertise what I buy to others without my knowledge and/or consent. Yep; I’ll advertise what I want, thankyouverymuch. Do I have a problem with my internet behavior being tracked in general. Or even conversations being taped? Nope. I’ve got absolutely nothing to hide, and frankly, I think the “monitoring police” have much better things to do than to watch me scratch my ass on the couch. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.


Song of the Week: “Summer Song” by Eyes Like Knives

Quote of the Week: “One day as I came home early from work . . . I saw a guy jogging naked. I said to the guy, ‘Hey buddy, why are you doing that for?’ He said, ‘Because you came home early.’ - Rodney Dangerfield.

Random Fact of the Week: Flea's can jump 130 times higher than their own height. In human terms this is equal to a 6ft. person jumping 780 ft. into the air

Picture of the Week: There must be a perfectly good explanation for this.

Until next week, head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.


Fred