Yesterday I posted an article about Privacy. As always there were so many amazing comments and responses. I wanted to expand on a couple of points made by other authors and to expand the conversation. The first conversation based on the feedback is the reality of Privacy online vs. Privacy in person. Someone is knocking your virtual front door, and someone is knocking on your actual front door. Another author posed the question and it is quite impressive. Online we are one person. In-person we can be different. Is there a line between the two? As one author said, “I never accept a friend or message requests from someone I do not know.” I would add trust to that equation as well. If I don’t trust you, I don’t reply to the messages you send to me. I know that very few people know the city where I live. They see the state (Maryland) and the country (US), but Maryland is a big state. I keep that information for people I know and trust. It is the line I draw, belief. When it comes to information online, I don’t share personal data if I don’t trust the person.
The other thing about personal information is that about four years ago, I was talking to Cyber Expert. Her argument with online “sharing” was that people share too much. Her discussion about Social Media was something she brought up on a Federal News Radio panel that I was on with her. She said, “people share too much online.” I decided after a long conversation with her that I needed to stop sharing names. I do not share the names of the people in my life in my posts now. I do share my dog’s names, but if you are going to steal the identity of a Laborador, you have a more significant issue that identifies theft. I love my dogs, but there identifies are not something of value for a hacker.
The other excellent point that was raised by another author had to do with Safety vs. Privacy. Is there a line where you would accept less Privacy for high security? A friend of mine is a law enforcement professional. He often goes out and speaks at high schools and colleges in the US. One of the things that always get the audience worked up is the question, which is more critical Privacy or safety. The kids in the audience get very angry and shout that Privacy always supersedes government enforced security.
His response is impressive; he says: “When the danger is far away from us (danger) Privacy is the key. When the danger is right next to us (danger), safety is the key!” He is in law enforcement. He was sadly at Charlottesville VA a couple of years ago when the young lady was killed. He sees people at their very best and very worst. He always argues order over chaos. But it does have historical significance and validation as well. After various events globally, the public response has often been increased safety at the sacrifice of some levels of Privacy. However, the question that leaves me with is when the event is over, is Privacy returned to its previous state?
Link to yesterday’s post.
https://virily.com/virily_poll/it-is-your-privacy/
Over the last month, I have been picking authors that comment on my posts a few times a week and going back to their oldest posts and sharing them. It is my way of saying thank you to the people that often comment on my posts. Some of the earliest posts on the site have a lot more views than some of the newer ones. But neither here nor there. It is my thank you to the people that comment all the time!
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Question of
Privacy is important right?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Safety is important right?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Does the reality of safety make you nervous?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Fear makes people do crazy things right?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Did you travel by plane in the 1990’s?
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Yes
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No
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I don’t worry about privacy invasion or violation anymore. I’ve already had my privacy violated. It didn’t make anymore safe or any less safe. Just very angry and irritated. But I got over it! It caused me a lot of difficulties. Nevertheless, I lived! I wouldn’t waste my time writing a book about it and spend money on a lawyer, even though I know I could likely win in court. All I can truthfully say to the people who violated me is that it’s not my wish or desire that the same be done to them so that they know what it felt like. Written off in my book of life under the chapter titled “Long Story and Hard Life Lesson Learned”. Carrying on.
Bottom Line: Once they take your privacy they can’t give it back! It’s done! You can only try to repair the damage and rebuild your life. They did the dirty deed but it’s all on you to fix things and try to get back to normal.
it is a hard situation, i am sorry it happened to you. good chapter to file things in!!!!
I am very cautious in my online or live contacts. I travel every year by plane, even 2 times sometimes. I have booked tickets for June. But we’ll see how things work out with the Coronavirus.
we are in the same boat, we have travel planned for June. maybe.
safety is so important.
Q: PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT RIGHT?
Yes (6 votes) – 100%
Q: SAFETY IS IMPORTANT RIGHT?
Yes (6 votes) – 100%
Q: DOES THE REALITY OF SAFETY MAKE YOU NERVOUS?
Yes (3 votes) – 50%
No (3 votes) – 50%
Q: FEAR MAKES PEOPLE DO CRAZY THINGS RIGHT?
Yes (5 votes) – 83%
No (1 votes) – 17%
Q: DID YOU TRAVEL BY PLANE IN THE 1990’S?
Yes (3 votes) – 50%
No (3 votes) – 50%
“When the danger is far away from us (danger) Privacy is the key. When the danger is right next to us (danger), safety is the key!” – that sounds like a wise perspective!
it comes from a law enforcement professional, so we have to consider the source. He is often safety first.
That’s more or less how I see it too.
i do mostly see it that way as well.
Security and privacy are very important in our lives. We can do a lot on our own with caution.
it really is critical. We are responsible for our own privacy.
As I said before, I am very cautious on the internet … I do not make any contacts as far as privacy is concerned in today’s world, since we are almost at every step under the cameras …. last time I traveled by plane in 96 and this to Malta
the security changes from 96 today would probably not bother you, as you don’t like flying much!
That’s right …. it doesn’t touch me much … the only thing I want to do is visit Cyprus and it’s still a little too far for the car … I’ll be able to reveal this once … it takes 2.30 minutes and I can do it I couldn’t stand it, but I’m not sure yet
that is a hard situation, i know you do not like to fly. 30 minutes might seem like nothing but it really is a long time if you are concerned about flying!
Yes, it is true that … if it was urgent I would certainly fly, but now it is not necessary
can you not drive to the shore and then take a ferry to Cyprus?
This option exists …. from Greece it takes about 2 days from Turkey it’s closer to just got there 2200km … by plane I’m there in about 3 hours
but the drive would be amazing my friend!
This I agree, just driving around Turkey is another kind of adventure … they are very dangerous and unpredictable drivers …. they just blew and gas … I should buy one car just for this adventure … some used jeep that doesn’t it would be a shame
i remember riding in the taxi from the airport to downtown Istanbul, we were almost hit twice!
Then you can imagine what an adventure that would be …
it would be hard to drive in Turkey for 5 or 6 straight hours. You would be exhausted.
Flying may be better, even with your dislike of flying.
100%, I’ll be up in the air for two and a half hours …. I’ll have something to drink for me
that is all we can do! perhaps a little flask of Cognac!
Or some good whiskey, dear friend
Johny Walker black – my personal choice when it comes to sipping whiskey!
I’m for Jack Daniels, dear friend
Jack Daniels is one of the most fun distillery tours I have ever been on. Their facility is really beautiful and they have one of the original sets of barrels used to age the Whiskey years ago!
I share more than I should sometimes perhaps but never any names.
note – you are very careful as far as I have seen.
hard to do sometimes though.
I agree a lot of people post personal information, personal pictures and details online.
As for me when I used to be on facebook I ensured that all privacy measures where taken. I never shared any personal information of worth with anyone other than my friends. Yet, three times my account was hacked or someone attempted to hack it. My site was hacked . I was fed up and stopped using even my name online. It was a nerve racking time for me. I closed my FB account and had nothing to do with social media again.
i am so sorry that happened to you! even more the why of this article. it makes it very hard to be online in any form.
sorry that happened.
A secondary point – in the 1970s when I was growing up, we were never inside during the summer. We would leave our houses and not return home until nightfall.
With the increased reporting around child predators, we didn’t let our kids play unsupervised. Kids ended up with less privacy now, then we had then.
Same here, we sent all day outside and loved every minute of it.
it was a different time, i am not sure I could or would let my kids be unsupervised today.
I traveled by plane from 1967 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2020.
i can honestly tell you that airports, airplanes and travel is radically different now, than it was years ago. Globally, the privacy lost in 2001, has never been returned.