Tuesday, April 6, 2010
At any given moment, a KU student’s picture is undoubtedly appearing on a social networking site. One by one, our photos of friends and family go public, or at least partially so, as some people allow thousands of online “friends” to view their Web site profiles.
This mass comfort with disclosing information such as relationship status, sexual orientation and other personal interests has become a characteristic unique to our generation.
Social networking behemoths such as Facebook and Twitter have transformed our ability and willingness to share information. Not surprisingly, the line between public and private is becoming increasingly blurred- But where do we draw the line?
Ever notice that there is something rather eerie about the ads that appear on these sites? Their level of relevance is nearly intrusive.
Facebook advertisements, for example, are able to analyze a plethora of voluntarily provided information. With this information, they can aim ads at very specific group of potential buyers.
Though this gives companies access to more private information than ever before, Facebook ads that consider browsing history and profile information are just the beginning. Companies are becoming increasingly innovative in finding ways to keep track of us.
Take for example Foursquare, a new addition to the rising “location-based” market. This social networking application allows users to “check-in” to locations with smart phones. Similar to Facebook, Foursquare is very attractive to companies looking for super-local advertisements that find potential customers as they enter a business. Although the company is in its infancy compared to Facebook and Twitter, its user-base has already surpassed half a million.
The new company appears to be some strange concoction of World of Warcraft and The Sims, except the characters are actual people. Foursquare awards the people who publicize their presence the most frequently in a coffee shop or restaurant by labeling them “mayors” of that specific locality. These individuals may actually receive coupons for free purchases through their phones as companies keep tabs on their locations.
According to National Public Radio’s Web site, the emphasis on keeping track of personal information is not limited to social networking. Like a strange salesman sitting in our living rooms, cable boxes are expected to analyze our individual household information like viewing habits, location, and ages. Similarly to Foursquare’s “mayors” who disclose their location, customers are expected to disclose private information in exchange for coupons on their television.
As more and more people own smart phones with global positioning capabilities, the prospect of location-based services becoming another Twitter-like trend is quite plausible. One telltale sign of the industry’s potential is Google’s newly found interest in location-based services. The search engine giant recently created Google Latitude, which allows friends to track each other’s movements and publicize live locations with their phones.
As technology connects us at levels never before possible, people are becoming more and more accustomed to giving away personal information. Privacy, which is among the most important of our individual rights, is being traded to companies for a free coffee. These trades are becoming increasingly intrusive. Hopefully we will be able to realize when it has gone too far.
— Katz is a junior from Overland Park in creative writing and political science.
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