Is it really about me?

Last night, I spent about an hour trying to figure out how to transfer the supplemental lectures to my iPod ... FINALLY after numerous Google searches and ill-suited hits, I was able to pack up and head to the gym for a much-procrastinated workout. I think that is one of the only times I have ever had difficulty finding what I needed from Google. I know that it was not a ridiculous request ... things were just not fitting together (who knew that my iPod would not support that kind of Mp4?).


Anyway, after the lecture by Dr. David Clark, I started thinking about privacy. Clark made a comment about how as users, we are afraid (generally speaking) of our online contacts and interactions. People choose to use screen names instead of legal names, personal information is highly guarded, and physical location is rarely specified. I don't think that this is a bad thing. In fact, some individuals that are hesitant about physically stepping out and speaking up are allowed a forum where they have the choice to acknowledge responses, or even to reveal their true identity. For many, this freedom can be empowering and inspiring.


This lecture reminded me that in one of the earlier chapters of our text, there was an Ethics & Issues box that discussed how our personal information is seen as currency (Box 1-4). I had never quite thought of it in these terms, but it really makes sense! My Dillon's card gives me coupons for exactly what I purchase, and Expedia sends me travel deals for Pittsburgh. If some random person on the street asked me what I like to buy at the grocery store, I would probably look the other way - I mean, that's personal, right? But then I scan my card each time I shop, and a random person can keep track of what kind of cereal I buy. It's just that I get something out of it ($1 off two boxes!). Expedia knows which airlines I fly, which hotels I frequent, and even which months I tend to travel. Am I more "at risk" by volunteering this information? Sometimes, that may be the case - but are they really going to look through all of their records to find my specific detailed information? Probably not! In the vast pool of information, I am a needle in the haystack. It's not about me (however much I may want to believe)-- it's about the statistics.