Bebo kids will value privacy when they see adults do too

guardian.co.uk

3 pointsandyking2 comments

I like the idea of "Little Brother" -- the people as a whole, rather than those in power, becoming the agents of ubiquitous surveillance. YouTube and cheap digital cameras have power as well.

"The courts may not work anymore, but as long as everyone is videotaping everyone else, justice will be served." --The Simpsons

And a Google search reveals that the term "Little Brother" as I just used it was apparently coined by Cory Doctorow as well. Looks like a good book, too.

I'm not so sure I agree. At least with our relatively benign government, there are certain checks and balances on the use of our data. Under "Little Brother", any crackpot with a bizarre agenda would have carte blanche to observe and record your movements for whatever odd reason they saw fit. Imagine, for example, a web site with the names and photographs of everyone leaving a political meeting or an abortion clinic. Not nice.

And in another Simpsons-related note, I wonder if Mr Doctorow has his own "Cory Hotline"...?!

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