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'Like' it or not, privacy has changed in the Facebook age 'Like' it or not, privacy has changed in the Facebook age
(7 months later)
Of all the great inventions, the front door might be the least appreciated. But for many of our forebears, the idea that you could retreat into a house to escape the world – and a room of your own to escape your family – would have seemed incredible.Of all the great inventions, the front door might be the least appreciated. But for many of our forebears, the idea that you could retreat into a house to escape the world – and a room of your own to escape your family – would have seemed incredible.
The concept of privacy is not, as we like to imagine, a universal one across time or culture. A monarch like Henry VIII essentially lived in public, and even had someone to wipe his royal rear – the "groom of the stool"; at the other end of the social scale, it was common for families to share bedrooms, and even beds, well into the 20th century. We might value our privacy highly, but we haven't had it that long.The concept of privacy is not, as we like to imagine, a universal one across time or culture. A monarch like Henry VIII essentially lived in public, and even had someone to wipe his royal rear – the "groom of the stool"; at the other end of the social scale, it was common for families to share bedrooms, and even beds, well into the 20th century. We might value our privacy highly, but we haven't had it that long.
Taking a long view is important when you hear discussions about how we "overshare" on social networks; even today, very few people would invite their friends or followers to see them on the loo or first thing in the morning. But should we be more careful about what other personal information we reveal online?Taking a long view is important when you hear discussions about how we "overshare" on social networks; even today, very few people would invite their friends or followers to see them on the loo or first thing in the morning. But should we be more careful about what other personal information we reveal online?
The latest concerns over privacy stem from a Cambridge University-led study, which found that by "liking" Facebook groups or pages, users were unwittingly giving away far more about themselves than they realised. As the Guardian reported, the researchers were able to infer "race, IQ, sexuality, substance use, personality or political views" from the data – and so could anyone else who wanted to.The latest concerns over privacy stem from a Cambridge University-led study, which found that by "liking" Facebook groups or pages, users were unwittingly giving away far more about themselves than they realised. As the Guardian reported, the researchers were able to infer "race, IQ, sexuality, substance use, personality or political views" from the data – and so could anyone else who wanted to.
This sounds shocking, but dig a little deeper and some of this soul-scrying voodoo becomes slightly less terrifying. One of the TV-show likes that's a predictor of female homosexuality is The L Word – a drama about lesbians. Two of the pages associated with being a gay man are Wicked the Musical (no comment) and the No H8 campaign, which advocates equal marriage. I'm sure you could guess my gender from my self-declared love of Jane Austen and the history of fashion on Facebook. Or you could just look at my name.This sounds shocking, but dig a little deeper and some of this soul-scrying voodoo becomes slightly less terrifying. One of the TV-show likes that's a predictor of female homosexuality is The L Word – a drama about lesbians. Two of the pages associated with being a gay man are Wicked the Musical (no comment) and the No H8 campaign, which advocates equal marriage. I'm sure you could guess my gender from my self-declared love of Jane Austen and the history of fashion on Facebook. Or you could just look at my name.
Of course, what this story is really about is the widespread fear that we are handing over more and more of our personal information without being aware of it – and without really knowing how that information will be used. Police figures suggest there are close to 2 million CCTV cameras in Britain, but the surveillance we encounter in the 3D world pales in comparison with the trail we leave in cyberspace.Of course, what this story is really about is the widespread fear that we are handing over more and more of our personal information without being aware of it – and without really knowing how that information will be used. Police figures suggest there are close to 2 million CCTV cameras in Britain, but the surveillance we encounter in the 3D world pales in comparison with the trail we leave in cyberspace.
Facebook is the social network that encourages users to embed themselves most deeply in its clutches – and as a result, it can appear spookily knowledgable about your life. Announce your engagement, and the sidebar adverts snap suddenly to wedding dresses (and diets); having a baby presumably sets off some kind of bonanza klaxon in their California HQ. Expectant and new parents are an advertiser's dream, because they're faced with a life-altering event which they want to succeed at, without really knowing how to. To an advertiser, that's as good as wearing a sign saying "Sell Me Stuff to Assuage My Fears".Facebook is the social network that encourages users to embed themselves most deeply in its clutches – and as a result, it can appear spookily knowledgable about your life. Announce your engagement, and the sidebar adverts snap suddenly to wedding dresses (and diets); having a baby presumably sets off some kind of bonanza klaxon in their California HQ. Expectant and new parents are an advertiser's dream, because they're faced with a life-altering event which they want to succeed at, without really knowing how to. To an advertiser, that's as good as wearing a sign saying "Sell Me Stuff to Assuage My Fears".
The catch here is, of course, that we hand over our data willingly. No one made us have store loyalty cards: we just decided that the discounts were worth disclosing our shopping habits for. The same goes for Facebook. Being able to keep up with Uncle Steve and the kids has to be funded somehow, and we've all silently agreed that our personal information is an acceptable virtual currency.The catch here is, of course, that we hand over our data willingly. No one made us have store loyalty cards: we just decided that the discounts were worth disclosing our shopping habits for. The same goes for Facebook. Being able to keep up with Uncle Steve and the kids has to be funded somehow, and we've all silently agreed that our personal information is an acceptable virtual currency.
As adults, we might feel ready to make those decisions. But surely, you might say, think of the children! Well, the truth is that our wired teenagers clearly don't see privacy in the way that we do, and are even happier than we are to overshare online. Their generation will have to live with the consequences of posting those drunken party pictures where a future employer might see them.As adults, we might feel ready to make those decisions. But surely, you might say, think of the children! Well, the truth is that our wired teenagers clearly don't see privacy in the way that we do, and are even happier than we are to overshare online. Their generation will have to live with the consequences of posting those drunken party pictures where a future employer might see them.
Then again, give it another generation and their employers might have drunken party pictures on the internet too. Just as we might feel righteous indignation if family members burst into our bedroom without asking, so our ideas of privacy might look baffling to the humans of the future.Then again, give it another generation and their employers might have drunken party pictures on the internet too. Just as we might feel righteous indignation if family members burst into our bedroom without asking, so our ideas of privacy might look baffling to the humans of the future.
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