Cell Phones, Privacy, and Technological Voyuerism
 

I stumbled upon this article today at the Wired site about how cell phones can be used to predict behaviors. I'm fascinated about the ways in which technologies can make us anonymous and at the same time lay bare the presumed privacy of our daily lives.

Beyond this article I think about our concern for privacy and the growing legislation here and abroad about protecting our personal information. Yet it's amazing the facts we leave about ourselves voluntarily that gets automatically catalogued and indexed by google and other search engins.

Reality TV has made voyuerism commonplace, as exhibitionsits clamour for their moments of fame. We say to ourselves, we'd never do that - but in a way we do it with every post to a message board. There are things we do that we want people to witness, and those we'd rather do with stealth, and yet they all seem to be recorded and witnessed by our technology, waiting to be retrieved.

WIth me, it would be how often I am at Disneyland. ;)

But, the information gathered about my personal life is a bit uncomfortable for me. I can see the parinoia starting now.

This application is fascinating. The REAL organizational structure of an organization. We all KNOW that most organizations - large or small - have both an official structure and the "applicapable" structure.

Information gleaned through this process can be applied to pinpoint problem areas, see the effect of implemented changes and make the organization stronger. I love this particular application. On a professional level, it seems much more palatable.

I wonder how many companies could handle knowing the REAL organizational structure? Or at least how many people in the company's upper management.

Indeed, or what horrible things might happen should they try to tamper with it.

Sounds like the first step towards a working set of rules for Psychohistory.

Well, that right there is the REAL problem with this information. It sounds very interesting on a theoretical basis, but how many eagos would be bruised beyond repair - and how many employees would be punished for the "reality"?

So, today I have a meeting with a vendor - his product monitors and analyzes network activity.

So, it watches various activity - files attached, things going to webmail accounts, activity on IM and message boards, etc. and looks for targeted content - Social Security Numbers is the big one, but it looks for porn, music, numbers, hacking tools, info on masking drug tests, etc. When it finds something suspicious, it launches full scans of the offending systems and summarizes everything nicely in a color report.

I looked at this material, and thought to myself (all the while smiling and nodding), "so this is the face of Big Brother."

Ironincally new privacy regulations is the main driver for the success of this product (and other's like it). This is the way Company's can protect their employee and customer privacy, protect intellectual property, and maek sure your email/IM network doesn't help create a "Hostile work environment."

I see the appeal a product like this has for a large company, but I can't help but think that all the self-censorship that will result from it's implementation is somehow infringing on my privacy.

I think it may be time to ditch the company cell phone.

The REAL problem might actually be that such a "company phone" may remain, perpetually turned off, in a desk drawer.

As for the computer network stuff . . . I'm told "Big Brother" is most likely watching my computer at work. What Big Brother must think when I'm conferencing with a student about a research paper and we pull up web sites about diamonds made from dead people, I have no idea. But it's funny to think that there could be a glossy color-coded report that says "what the F is this all about?"

Yup. And just like every cautionary tale on the subject, there's no going back, no stopping BB from taking over.

I read a sci-fi novel a while ago (Snow Crash? Maybe) where a woman worked at some customer service place and every single keystroke was recorded and analyzed for efficiency, and her paycheck was calculated accordingly.

If the city I work for had that program I'd be broke.

I'd be fired.

Broke.

And homeless.

Hanging out in your library and reading.

When we got our new computers at work they were set to record keystrokes. It doesn't effect the paycheck amount, but will effect wether or not you continue to recieve one.

If you notice your work is keylogging you, you can just type in over and over again for awhile,

All work and no play make 'name' a dull boy......

lather, rinse, and repeat until desired results

What should we be more afraid of: big brother government, or big brother business?Lately we have been more forgiving with both but is one any safer than the other?

What intrigues me is the blurring of private and public lives. On the one hand our jobs give us cell phones, laptops, blackberries, so we can be accessible 24/7. Most companies understand there will be some private use of their equipment.

Yet, companies are conceerned about their repution and the impact their employees private activities can have on them. Usually, though comapny's go this direction becasue of public outcry or fear of litigation. It makes me wonder if in the future, your employment may require a certain level of monitored and measurable morality - i.e. no porn/mp3/off color jokes etc.

I think both Companies and the Governement are just reacting to what they think they hear the public saying.

And to tie this into the other thread and the morals clause -- how long until companies require you to allow tracking software on your home computer to monitor your off-the-clock wanderings? We already have at least one company prohibiting its employees from smoking on their own time. Already many people have to certify that their home systems meet certain standards, in case they bring work home. (Which is nearly always a requirement.)

Locally, a county is requiring employees to commit to engaging in "healthy behaviors" and be interviewed to get certain levels of health benefits. (And the behaviors are so vaguely worded (and include behaviors like wearing seatbelts) that essentially anyone with a pulse qualifies -- begging the question: why? I imagine it's to set the precedent for enforcing more stringent requirements later.)

There are companies (and maybe even rental cars? or am I imagining that?) that track whether you speed in the corporate car, or track specific routes with GPS.

Prudence is scaring me with her scary scary story.

I don't wanna hear it no more! :eek:

Would you like to borrow my tin foil hat?

No thanks. I may buy a shotgun though.

I want you to know that I come by my own paranoia honestly. It's in the genes. Seriously - ever seen my dad's website?

I wish my dad were that interesting.

Trust me -- you don't. Seriously. I love him to death, but I know that someday I'm going to have to defend him in some sort of civil lawsuit.

Truth Be Told:

As long as I have nothing to hide, I really don't care about most stuff. The only time I have an issue is when I'm lied to. Plus I hate Spyware. ;)

-Hastin Zylstra (Yes, look Google, index my name. Heck, between my blog, MC, LoT, Myst stuff, and those damn Amazon reviews, you have a full look at my life. To The Reader: And if your googling my name, then you must be really bored, because Hastin's life isn't all that interesting.)

But maybe we just really really really want to know what Hastin's been reading!