Privacy in the 21st Century

Tags: facebook, google, privacy

Being an avid wannabe web mogul, I follow loads of web related news. During the past few years, privacy has increasingly been an issue. From Facebook’s Beacon to Google, it is all very interesting.

I just don’t understand people who complain about privacy issues. What these people don’t get is that companies like Facebook and Google provide a service, not a privilege. We aren’t naturally entitled to these services. They provide it and we must approve. When you use any service you are subject to its negative and positive aspects. One can naturally complain as a user that Bob’s Car Washery scratched your brand new car. Bob can listen to it and approve it, or just not give a damn. You as a consumer still have the decision to use the service or not. Don’t like Google keeping your searches for better quality search results? Then don’t use Google. They aren’t providing something entirely essential.

It sort of forms part of my new point. This is the 21st century. The world is more and more starting to cater for you as an individual. Ads are targeted to you, specialised products are created for you and much more. Isn’t this what we want? I sure do. I really love Gmail’s targeted ads that are taken from data in my emails. I have visited many a great website thanks to that!

In this era, in order for better service, one must be willing to relinquish some privacy. “Privacy” is being used relatively here. To me, a breach of “privacy” is when someone discovers something about me, I didn’t want that particular person to know, be it random photos, or just discovering what bands I like. In Gmail’s targeted ads system, that is not even the case. No one will be able to discover something about you through Google.

So yes, I just don’t understand why people rant about privacy issues like this. Get over it.