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Give Up the Fight For Personal Privacy?

Posted by kdawson on from the they-know-anyway dept.

KlaymenDK writes "Over the last decade or so, I have strived to maintain my privacy. I have uninstalled Windows, told my friends 'sorry' when they wanted me to join Facebook, had a fight with my brother when he wanted to move the family email hosting to Gmail, and generally held back on my personal information online. But since, amongst all of my friends, I am the only one doing this, it may well be that my battle is lost already. Worse, I'm really putting myself out of the loop, and it is starting to look like self-flagellation. Indeed, it is a common occurrence that my wife or friends will strike up a conversation based on something from their Facebook 'wall' (whatever that is). Becoming ever more unconnected with my friends, live or online, is ultimately harming my social relations. I am seriously considering throwing in the towel and signing up for Gmail, Facebook, the lot. If 'they' have my soul already, I might as well reap the benefits of this newfangled, privacy-less, AJAX-2.0 world. It doesn't really matter if it was me or my friends selling me out. Or does it? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter. How many Windows-eschewing users are not also eschewing the social networking services and all the other 2.0 supersites with their dubious end-user license agreements?"

10 of 751 comments (clear)

  1. Take the opposite approach. by khasim · · Score: 5, Funny

    Add photos that you aren't in and tag them as you.

    Then add backstory for them.

    This photo was taken at my sister's friend's cousin's lesbian wedding in Monaco. That's me on lead guitar.

    Since you cannot always hide information. You can always try to obscure the facts with the fallacies.

    1. Re:Take the opposite approach. by beef+curtains · · Score: 5, Funny

      This photo was taken at my sister's friend's cousin's lesbian wedding in Monaco. That's me on lead guitar.

      While your whole suggested "backstory" made me chuckle, the "lead guitar" bit was the cherry on top.

      The big problem that came to mind is that, were I to try this idea, 80 people would leave Captain-Obvious-style comments on said photo:

      "Dude, that's not you"
      "Who is that guy?"
      "OMG UR SOOOOO FUNY THATS NOT U"
      "lol thats not you man!!1!"
      "You crack me up, just like you did last Friday at that party you guys had at your place at 1234 W. Main St. in downtown Whoville, corner of Main and 1st (Main is one way going east...if you pass the Kwik-E-Mart you've gone too far). Have fun on your two week vacation during which time your apartment, unit 2E, which has no security system and a bedroom window that unlatches if you jiggle it hard enough, will be empty!"

      Okay, maybe that last one was a bit over the top...but you know what I mean :)

      --
      Just once I'd like someone to call me 'Sir' without adding 'You're making a scene.'
    2. Re:Take the opposite approach. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Security by obscurity has never really worked. I predict it won't protect your privacy either.
          --Sincerely, Anonymous Coward

    3. Re:Take the opposite approach. by chill · · Score: 5, Funny

      I envision a Photoshop and/or GIMP plug-in to automatically add tinfoil hats to people in pictures...

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    4. Re:Take the opposite approach. by Amazing+Quantum+Man · · Score: 5, Funny

      The NYTimes thinks I'm a 98 year old woman in Afghanistan, who makes less than $20K/yr as the CEO of her own company.

      --
      Fascism starts when the efficiency of the government becomes more important than the rights of the people.
    5. Re:Take the opposite approach. by bhrgunatha · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mom?

  2. Let me get this straight by blitzkrieg3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You won't give close friends the ability to post on your wall, yet you have no problem letting the whole world know that you were listening to elvis 2 hours ago?

  3. Basically, We're Doomed by mkcmkc · · Score: 5, Funny

    I decided quite a while ago that resistance was futile. Most details don't really matter, but it might be prudent to think about what would happen if you ever wanted to run for office or if the political winds shifted further to the right.

    As for me, though, this is not a problem, because I love my country and especially that wonderful President of ours. God has truly blessed us to give us such intelligent, caring, and well-groomed leaders. My goal in life is to someday meet one of them so that I can adore him in person.

    --
    "Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
  4. Re:How is this any different from the real world? by Bogtha · · Score: 5, Funny

    I LIKE JUNO REACTOR AND SEX

    Actually, KlaymenDK, the hardcore privacy nut that posted this Your Rights Online submission, prefers 80s music, as you can see by browsing thousands of songs he has listened to recently.

    --
    Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
  5. Re:How is this any different from the real world? by glittalogik · · Score: 4, Funny

    80's music seems appropriate for a 34y/o, but I wonder if it distracts him when he's concentrating on a board game or working on his 2004 VW Golf in his Copenhagen, Denmark, garage.