The Problem With the Internet

I am one of the few people I know who is very cautious of Internet privacy. I ask family members not to put up their pictures on Facebook and Twitter and other health hazards. Here's how they usually respond:

Concerned Person: Why do you use Facebook?

I: Why do I, or why does anyone --

CP: You. You in particular.

I: To keep in contact with my friends. Past and present. Or so.

CP: How many people share your name?

I: Quite a few, I guess...

CP (triumphantly): Then how does someone know how to find you if there are a million yous? By looking at your picture and recognising! Ha!

I do not give up and generally plough on that the 'bio' is more than enough to identify a person if you know them well enough.

At this point CP says, 'What if that person doesn't know you that well?'

I happily declare, 'Then that person doesn't deserve to be your Facebook friend. Screw him.'

(+1 to me)

However, now with my blog, I am at the receiving end of similar taunts.

'You're putting up pictures!' they scream.

'No scandalising ones,' I say.

'But pictures you've taken! And private ones!'

I cock my head over to the side. 'Private?'

'Come on,' they go on, ' you know what I mean.'

This is all very problematic and I refuse to get into the conversation any further. 'I know what I'm doing,' I say firmly, 'and more so without your help.' It does sound like I watch too many soaps on television by this point. (I do NOT, I swear.)

'What if someone copies your stuff and sells it off?' they shriek.

'Frankly, my dear,' I say confidently, 'That can't happen. Who would want to?' I add.

'You're right,' they say thoughtfully. 'Hmmm... Okay...'

And that, I think, is the problem with the Internet. It reduces people to Hmmms and Okays.