Does your privacy concern you? On the internet, we are hidden at times by user names and feel secure. But what is this privacy we speak of? It is a question that, unfortunately, has multiple answers depending on where in the world you live, what you do for a living, and sadly what you are doing online.
For example, if you become a celebrity, you are fewer rights at events when it comes to people taking your picture, than a relative taking a child to the playground has around views. The minor child has different rates than the Aunt or Uncle walking them to the park.
The concept of privacy is a slippery slope. First off, it has generational differences. It has technological gaps, and it has social differences. Each of those makes the concept of privacy much harder to consider.
- If the police in determining who committed a crime, get a picture of that video they use to prove that the person committed the crime, do I still own my image?
- I walk my dogs every day. We pass 20 or so home security cameras. I would say on any given day, 12 or fewer capture my image. But those images are still on the recording of the security system do I own that image?
- Is there a 4th wall of privacy? For example, if someone sends you unsolicited messages on a social media platform, you are not connected to that person on, is that violating your privacy?
- The last and most interesting question, how do you perceive privacy? What does it mean to you?
Privacy is an interesting question. It is not something that many governments even thought about 30 years ago. GDPR (General Data Protection Requirements) are the laws passed by the EU to begin the concept of providing a framework for what your privacy means legally. The US has laws around privacy as well.
In all cases, if you commit a crime, you waive your right to privacy.
(4th wall is a TV and movie term, it is where an actor talks directly to the audience, i.e., the camera its called breaking the 4th wall).
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
Is there a 4th wall of social media privacy?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Is declining privacy a concern if it is improving public safety?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Tell me what you think is critical, personal privacy?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Is safety more critical than privacy?
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Yes
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No
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Q: IS THERE A 4TH WALL OF SOCIAL MEDIA PRIVACY?
Yes (3 votes) – 43%
No (4 votes) – 57%
Q: IS DECLINING PRIVACY A CONCERN IF IT IS IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY?
Yes (9 votes) – 69%
No (4 votes) – 31%
Q: TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IS CRITICAL, PERSONAL PRIVACY?
Yes (8 votes) – 73%
No (3 votes) – 27%
Q: IS SAFETY MORE CRITICAL THAN PRIVACY?
Yes (10 votes) – 91%
No (1 votes) – 9%
I had my first taste of losing my private life when some years back I lived in an apartment. I was often loudly hailed whenever I walked out of the door. I could not walk 2 steps outside without someone calling my name.
I began to understand how people like film stars or famous people feel without being famous.
One of the reasons I no longer wish to live in an apartment, I had no privacy whatsoever.
you’ve gone even further into a topic I did not cover. there is a difference between online privacy and personal privacy that is much harder to define.
We have moved into a new world and we still have the old laws.
I feel that safety is more important than privacy because if we had too much of it, then the world would be a much darker place than it is. Hell, at times I feel that we don’t have enough privacy, but we certainly don’t need to be under constant surveillance like say, China. In a public setting or as soon as you walk out the door, depending on what type of setting you live in there should be surveillance. In my apartment building I encounter 3 cameras alone from my apartment door-to-the-front-door, but it doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable because I know that I do nothing that is considered wrong. And at the end of the day I feel safe because if something were to happen to me at the hands of someone, then I know its caught on footage and justice would be served. On social media sites there has to be privacy even though we set our profiles to certain levels of privacy.
I meant, I feel that we have too much privacy, but we certainly don’t need to be under constant surveillance like, China.
i got your meaning from context, but thanks for the clarification!!!
you dedicated part of your life to protect our freedoms. For that, as I have before I thank you for your service.
your point is well taken. I do worry that we have moved faster than the laws.
Evil doers do get caught which is good because of the lack of privacy on social media. I’m all for that. Stupid people, as in the ones doing wrong definitely need to be under surveillance.
I carried this discussion (and many other comments) into a new column for today. Is privacy taken, ever returned?
And by all means we cannot forget the police officers that ate recorded during stops. Some put on blast for their unprofessionalism. I do like seeing those recorded with smartphones because for some odd reason, the body cams never work worn by police, smh.
we have been working with a company that has a new body cam. It can’t be turned off and works pretty well!
Very nice. Seemed so bogus that they had issues with them being that they seemed new.
it does, there are lots of reasons why.
We live in a complex world, but I think public safety is above personal privacy. A balance is needed though. I read that South Korea is one of the countries with most security cameras, many of which are fake, but people don’t know which ones so they are on their best behaviour anyway. On the other hand, there’s a huge problem with spycams there.
I count cameras when I am walking. Yesterday i was in downtown dC. I counted in my 1/2 mile walk (nearly a KM) 120 cameras.
We live in a new world. we need new rules. THanks Ellie, great comment!
Safety is a real concern today. Using a different username could help. I do not usually put down where I live etc. I do have it on Facebook, but not many other places, but just so you know if you knew everything about me I would not feel unsafe. You are very trust worthy.
Thanks – you present an interesting side of this discussion I hadn’t thought of. Thanks!
I do not accept as friends people I do not know. I do not open emails that are not relevant to me. I don’t want anyone to violate my personal space.
that is a good way to protect your privacy. It is a very tough situation and the next tier hasn’t really appeared yet.
This is a difficult question for me …. I have very few contacts on the internet so I never even thought about privacy
Your answer is well met pal! it is something that many of us do not consider.
I simply delete unknown contacts who contact me …. I do not contact unknown people
that is a solid solution. it greatly reduces your risk
I have been repeatedly warned about this and I am sticking to it
i am very glad you are sticking to that program!!!!
I sometimes think its unfair that authorities can and will stalk, “monitor” and “ask for” your personal data/PC/personal belongings and you can’t say no. What if they decide that its ok to keep and use them?
Anyway that goes the same for other companies and institutions.
in the US they have to have a court order to do that. In the EU it is even a little harder.
GDPR actually begins, to define the boundaries between the two (Privacy and Safety)!
This is a difficult question. To me, both things are important. I don’t share my pictures on social network, I don’t communicate with strangers, I take great care in my information … that’s all I can do on my own
all good points, always interesting. The reality of privacy is one that I think most of us need to sit down and think through!
As the others said, tough questions. I value both safety and privacy. Hard to say which is higher on my list.
Love the photo, made me smile on this rainy day.
thanks she was a great dog, I miss her!
A buddy of mine who is part of Law enforcement says it best
“when it is far away from us (danger) privacy is the key.
When it is right next to us (danger) safety is the key!”
That makes a ton of sense.
it does but he takes the law side of the equation.
I know people that argue the other side. That privacy is always above safety.
If there’s a straight choice between privacy and safety, that’s a no-brainer for me!
Many people contact me on social media. It is horrible. I am too polite so they take advantage of it.
it is a really tough situation, sorry pal. the easy answer is just say no!
Yes, I should learn to delete all the messages I receive.
or if they are rude, report them!
the beauty in the theory of social media is you can block people. If enough people report someone they get blocked by the social media site itself.
Tough questions to answer, but privacy is my personal and constitutional right. I don’t want large companies peeping into my bedroom. I don’t want them listening into my conversations. I don’t like the idea of someone googling my name and getting all my personal information including my address. Many of the gadgets we use today take our privacy for granted.
I hate that the government snoops into my personal information on the pretext of public safety or geriatric care.
I am not happy when data from my personal gadgets is hacked into or sold to other companies. Oh I can go on with this but you get the idea right.
i got the idea, you raise valid points. But given danger in front of you or danger for one of your kids. which is critical then?
I answered that bit, that it is a tough choice, but whatever needs to be done needs to be done with care for personal privacy and security.
i have a really good friend that always says Privacy is an ideal, personal safety is more than a goal it is something we all demand.
I guess I was raised in a simpler era. I learned that if you do something in public it’s fair game for the public, and I have no issue with that. People can take as many recordings or photos of me in public as they want, as I have nothing to hide.
In the final analysis, public safety is the ultimate concern, and everything else, including both personal privacy and other ‘freedoms’ necessarily take second place. Just look at what’s been happening in Wuhan, and think about how it would have worked out in China if safety had not been prioritised over privacy and personal freedom.
it does bring to bear a very difficult question. i don’t think there is an easy answer anymore.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. That is not meant as a carte blanche for authorities to stomp all over our hard-won rights and freedoms, but such rights and freedoms are not worth much if you’re dead. I think the choice is fairly clear.
I know, as someone that used to fly a lot before 9/11 and after. that the world’s security in airports changed radically on that day.
The first skyjacking changed security.
then 9/11
now it is truck rentals and van rentals and that is much harder.
i wonder what comes next.
Safety vs Privacy is a tough one. I will have to think about that. My assumption is that everyone knows everything or guesses at what they don’t know and shares it with everyone.
it is, in the end, a balancing act. what we know for a fact. What we think we know. Balance that with what someone else knows.