The Internet and Us

[Vita]

Recently I've been thinking a lot about us and the internet. Do we put a lot of information on the internet about ourselves? Social media, youtube, has tons of information about people, that they post up themselves.

To sum it up in short, the prank the Radio DJ's did at the hospital saying they were the members of the royal family, could fraudsters build up a picture/gain information and use it inappropriately with a target they've found on the internet.

People share their problems on the internet, their possessions, their work.

Were we better off without forums/social media sites, or are they now essential in everyday life?

Social engineering seems to have come a long way and it does make me think, how much information do we truly put of ourselves out there, be it big or small. How much of it can be used to cause distress to a victim?

 

[One]

My info is on lockdown so only friends read about my daily life (if they even bother that is) but they would know anyway when I talk to them down the pub.

It is a problem though. Publicly putting your information on easily accessible websites is a silly thing to do.

 

[xMarkie]

SPOT ON.

On the streets you see people walking around more concerned being glued to their internet phone than looking whether they are about to walk out in front of a bus.

With regards to social media its scary the amount of information some people put up. In some cases you're not far off from being able to impersonate that person very well.

In my opinion some people have embraced social media too much and have therefore put themselves at risk.

Social media isn't a bad thing but I fail to see how it could be labelled 'essential'. If anything social media is regressing our abilities how we communicate with each other and this is a bad thing. I still can't stand when someone sends me an email or facebook message about meeting up for a drink instead of just phoning me

 

[Gary*]

Social media isn't a bad thing but I fail to see how it could be labelled 'essential'. If anything social media is regressing our abilities how we communicate with each other and this is a bad thing. I still can't stand when someone sends me an email or facebook message about meeting up for a drink instead of just phoning me

This and the fact that in today's world there is no grand adieu anymore

 

[2bit]

I don't have a facebook or twitter account.
I don't need to subscribe to the sort of scary technology these companies are perusing.

 

[Pixel]

How come whenever people talk about privacy online, they always talk about privacy from other members of the public, but not privacy from the megacorp you're giving all the info to?

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

I would not watch this film because it sucks.

 

[xMarkie]

How come whenever people talk about privacy online, they always talk about privacy from other members of the public, but not privacy from the megacorp you're giving all the info to?

Because we have a caring government who make laws to protect us from all the nasty megacorps...

Don't they?

 

[Tefal]

Social media isn't a bad thing but I fail to see how it could be labelled 'essential'. If anything social media is regressing our abilities how we communicate with each other and this is a bad thing. I still can't stand when someone sends me an email or facebook message about meeting up for a drink instead of just phoning me

really?

it's so much more convenient.

Can read an answer an email, fb messenger text whenever you like, phone calls interrupt you or can be at times when you can't answer.

 

[Tefal]

How come whenever people talk about privacy online, they always talk about privacy from other members of the public, but not privacy from the megacorp you're giving all the info to?

cause you chose to give them that info?

also if you didn't there wouldn't be a site for you to give the info out anyway.

 

[Mr-White]

My info is on lockdown so only friends read about my daily life (if they even bother that is) but they would know anyway when I talk to them down the pub.

You say that like you're safe, Facebook have been hacked countless times and they sell on your details as everything you put on their belongs to them.

It's like giving a dodgy mate £20 to look after, he might keep it safe from other people but it doesn't stop him spending it.

MW

 

[AHarvey]

Facebook have been hacked countless times and they sell on your details as everything you put on their belongs to them.

Really?

Last thing I saw was a facebook announcement stating that copyright of anything put on facebook belonged to the person that uploads it. Any usage rights written in are accepted by the users, and by uploading they accept it. facebook isn't taking or stealing anything other than what is freely being given.

I've had someone from here send me anonomous emails & threats after they must have spent hours tracking me down claiming there was far too much info about me out there. They seemed to think that it was a bad thing, well as a business owner who uses the internet I'm fully aware of the info that is out there and tbh, don't really care. The things I know should be kept secret are, and I know what is out there.

 

[HangTime]

I have traditionally worried a fair bit about exposing too much of my personal information online (so fake birthday on social networks etc, locked down profiles to limit what random people can see etc) but in hindsight maybe I should have embraced the social networking revolution like some others have.

 

[kwerk]

At least most forums are educational. Facebook is pure entertainment... gossip and narcissism.

Even GD is mildly educational because you get an insight in to a broad range of people's opinions and ideas, but on facebook it's completely inbred. I really don't give a toss about my old school friends or work colleagues opinions. I'm not going to ask them which monitor/hdd/ram to buy either.