I actually laughed out loud as I read the first page of this week's readings. I was texting Molly, an simultaneously watching NCIS and reading the PDF on my computer screen. I probably would have been surfing the internet, but I am in the process of moving, so I didn't have internet when I read the chapter.
The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking about how true it all was. I used to work at a leadership camp for incoming college freshmen, and each year, I would preach to my participants about the importance of facebook censoring and privacy settings. And each year, their eyes would glaze over. One year, one of the girls actually said: "Why does it matter, it's not like people are looking for me... only my friends look at my facebook pics." I reminded her of the fact that she had no idea if that was really true or not, but most of my participants just responded with something along the lines of, "I'll change my settings when I apply for jobs in 4 or 5 years." I think that attitude is partially the feeling many teenagers have of invinsibility. The I know it happens, but it won't happen to me attitude. But, with the phrase "google it" becoming so common place, people actually are beginning to recognize their digital footprints by googling themselves.
All I know is... it's a whole new ballgame of tech out there.
If you saw John or Farrah laughing on tuesday... here's why:
Oh, PS,
The AARP just put out a stop sexting add to help ensure the privacy of its members and promote safer sexting and texting. What a crazy world it is!
Katie I definitely agree that people underestimate the dangers of having so much private information. One of my friends didn't protect her privacy and now pictures of her from facebook are all over the internet on various dating and more profane websites. So for her she now longer has control over her own personal information and can't protect it by simply changing her facebook settings.
ReplyDeletehmmm...AARP + sexting?? = please no :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts on how kids today are too trusting with the Internet! It seems kind of paradoxical! Everyone's so obsessed with locking houses and securing belongings, and yet we're exposing ourselves more than ever!
Perhaps our grandparents who did not lock their doors were far more private :)