Here’s what I don’t get about all the hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing that’s going on about personal privacy these days. Don’t get me wrong, the digital age is a little scary and I don’t want to end up living in a totalitarian Big Brother situation…but I think that’s a far cry from what some people are freaking out about. In some ways, technology has really skewed people’s understanding of privacy. Here’s my run-down.
[Also, as a side note…I found myself getting REEEEEAAAALLLY lazy when drawing the illustrations for this one. I need to have a rather stern talk with myself about time management, procrastination, and commitment to quality. OR…I can just accept myself for who I am and tell myself it’s OK to do a post without snowmen next time.]
Things people have freaked out about, but probably didn’t need to:
1. Facebook.
Oh my god! Someone leaked information about my *PUBLIC* Facebook Profile. Granted, it was public information I had already made widely available to anyone with internet access because I never bothered to change my own privacy settings or think for a second about my own privacy in the first place.
2. Google Maps.
Was I the only one out there who realized that the information you find on Google maps is nothing that a person with a regular map and access to a vehicle, bicycle, two legs, a wheel chair, or strapping young fellow to carry them, couldn’t find out for themselves?
Sometimes it helps to know what to expect when you go places.
3. Full-body scanners at the airport.
I understand that full body scanners are intrusive, and a bit embarrassing. They even make me squirm a little…but a threat to personal privacy? Besides the obvious bits, and hidden weapons, what do you think airport security people are going to see in this image that they won’t see when you’re fully clothed? Your huge pot belly? Your six inches of cleavage? Your love handles? Considering some of the things I see people wearing at the airport these days, the scanner image is probably LESS embarrassing than what you look like fully clothed. We’ve all got the same parts people, and yours aren’t that special. Get over yourself already.
Things people should freak out about, but seem not to.
1. Blogging*
*If you don’t understand the sarcasm/irony of what I’m saying here, please DON’T comment. OK? Unless it’s to explain the proper use of the word “irony” to me. Because I’m still fuzzy on that one. And I really love when people point out my mistakes.
2. Computer Security Alerts
7. Shopping
Girl Normal 
Re Gypsy
August 23, 2010
Wicked. I know blogger that did get fired for blogging [won’t say where from though cough cough] loving the Irony baby.
The Simple Life of a Country Man's Wife
August 23, 2010
you went from #2 to #7. Mistake! Ok, everything else aside, your airport security drawing was great.
girl normal
August 23, 2010
Ahhhh! Mistake! Thanks for catching it. I’d change it…but then these two comments wouldn’t make any sense. So I’m leaving it, you know, just to keep people on their toes.
shoutabyss
August 23, 2010
Nice post. I’m the blogging “idiot.” You described me pretty darn accurately. 🙂
A lot of people froth about “how safe is it to order online???” Then they drive to the gas station or restaurant and happily hand over their credit card to a complete stranger who is a minimum wage employee and who gets to spend some private time with their card. Wow.
True, the internet does give away information that is already public, but sitting in your chair and sitting through that info using powerful search engines is a skosh different than loading up the car and saying, “Let’s go see what’s over that hill.” You’ll know what I mean when someone who hates your guts puts your freakin’ home address, a few choice words and a picture of a pig on Craigslist. 🙂
girl normal
August 23, 2010
I guess what I’m getting at is that knowing that a blue house resides at a particular address tells you nothing about who lives in that house, unless you already know something about those people to begin with (like, you know so-and-so lives in a blue house in this part of town). If someone who hates my guts already knows my address…then Google maps, Facebook, etc. won’t tell them anything they didn’t already know or couldn’t find out on their own. And if they really hated my guts…they could just follow me home. Whatever happened to the old fashioned ways of messing with people? Are we too good for toilet paper, eggs, and flaming dog poo these days? Sheesh. 😉
Average Girl
August 23, 2010
The clothes, belly-button and er, cleavage, on your snow-wo-man are fantastic!
I will admit that I freak out about the privacy issue sometimes. But, so far, all of those people I’ve wronged in the past have yet to find me. And, if you don’t hear from me for awhile, please send help…
moviesaccordingtodes
August 23, 2010
hahaha this is hilarious and so true!
findingserenity2010
August 23, 2010
Hooray for a fellow blogging idiot! Although I will admit to purposely trying to shock my friends on my blog – they had no clue about anything I’m talking about on here. But there is such a thing as too much honesty. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent or not-so-innocent, that sort of thing.
I might add that I don’t generally freak out about airport scanners, but more like the heavy petting, I mean, massagae, I mean, security pat-down …
Bob
August 23, 2010
Hey lookie here I get to post a reply in the first 100 YIPPEE.
Another great look at human stupidity!! So much stupidity so little time.
Thanks for another great smile.
Bob
PS. Your Snowmen although quickly drawn still don’t suck, that’s the whole point of it. No??
http://bahbs.wordpress.com/
marinasleeps
August 23, 2010
Personally I love it when I get scanned in the airport. I feel “dirty and wild!”
girl normal
August 23, 2010
Ah ha ha ha ha. Awesome. 😉
Wimpie
August 23, 2010
This is a strip-search, period. It makes no difference that the technology allows it to be done on an industrial scale, it’s a violation of privacy that ultimately has, at best, no effect on safety. At worst, it exposes frequent fliers to elevated doses of x-ray radiation which may cause more deaths by cancer than the terrorists could ever kill with an airplane.
Body-cavities are not revealed, thus making this simply an exercise in power-mongering voyeurism.
You MUST opt-out of these intrusive searches, and maybe be wanded/patted by a same-sex guard. I Opt’ed Out a few months ago, which gave me the opportunity to officially express my displeasure – the smurf wrote down the reason for my opting-out for their official records (it’s a strip-search, I said). I suggest more people do this.
Don’t forget that there is no real way to validate what level of scanning is being done by the TSA. Example images on placards at the airport only show what the government want normal people and potential terrorists to see. If terrorists knew exactly how much scanning was occurring, they could adapt likewise.
Therefore, it is implausible to expect the TSA to be honest about how high the scanning level is set. In effect, the TSA will feed the general public propaganda to stop the enemy from being more diligent in their stealth.
Nice, eh – considering this was the state of the art 4 years ago:
http://rupture.co.uk/Terminal%204.html
(You may have to cut and paste the above link)
The TSA acceptance polls quoted date to January, before anybody had any idea about the invasiveness of these machines. Latest poll on NY Times shows 75% AGAINST!
Just remember to say “I OPT-OUT”
girl normal
August 23, 2010
Meh. I think flying in general is a waste of my time, energy, and patience. I avoid the whole cluster-f**k whenever humanly possible. I guess that’s the price of convinience. And don’t even get me started on the check-bag fees.
For now, at least, I have the choice. Flying is a choice, after all. It’s only a true violation of privacy when I’m not given the option to opt out. If the TSA starts driving by my house and conducting full-body scans without my knowledge…then I’ll start getting pissed off.
girl normal
August 23, 2010
although you do make a good point about the safety aspect, re: exposure to radiation.
Rachel M
August 23, 2010
Hahaha! So true and so funny! Love the snowmen too. 🙂 I actually like the pictures on GoogleMaps. I check out my own address to see what our yard looks like from space — as in, do I need to water the grass more, or am I good?
girl normal
August 23, 2010
nice!
teapotchronicles
August 23, 2010
You’re amazing. Just sayin.
Boxed Elf
August 24, 2010
Haha! I love how you point out ridiculous things in our society.
The google maps thing reminds me of a friend who was planning a trip to Texas. He did a google map (when it was new), and it left out half of Oklahoma. He was wondering what to do next, since he didn’t know where he needed to turn in that part of the state. I was thinking, ‘there’s this company called Rand McNally who makes these things called atlases that help you find where you’re going….”
Marc Kemp
August 24, 2010
It’s ironical that there’s actually 2 silent j’s in the word irony…I’m not sure where they are located. Kinda makes the intelligent you wonder why there’s two j’s if they’re both silent. I know. I know. I ask a lot of the same questions, and I get the same, “just accept it” answers.
I’m fairly sure that this information is viable and accurate… a pipit from Somerset with beautiful plumage stopped by at a quarter to one for tea. Remarkable bird, the pipit, reminds me of a lark from Gloucester.
Do you take cream with your tea? One lump or two?
Re Gypsy
August 29, 2010
just milk and one sugar thanx