Evidence in an Age of Self-Surveillance

SNIPPET: "Millions are participating in online social networks in an age of unprecedented self-surveillance (sousveillance). And these sites are pushing criminal investigation into uncharted waters.

Two of the most popular networking sites are MySpace and Facebook, each of which boasts over 100 million users."

Thanks for the ping, I totally repect your position that “..Unless you are a criminal, why does it matter?...”
I would submit the following:
Not every website is moderated with as much integity as, say - FR, I also submit that photographs are also posted, and that is a potentially bad thing since any person under the age of eighteen gets to post potetially “non discriminatory” photos.

Realize that not everyone on these types of websites are forthright in what they say. Insofar as the government is concerned, I’d be more worried about pervs.
Is it a tool? To find friends? I digress - it can be a great tool, so long as caution is exercised, especially insofar as kids are concerned.

Thanks! In our case it’s mostly family. I have a couple of co-workers as friends on my site but only a few. As far as I know, all of the kids are monitored while online. I know my granddaughter is because if she’s online she’s at our house. I’m trusting that my brothers and sisters all monitor their grandchildren.

I do understand your position. As far as I’m concerned, if any member of my family is doing something illegal they deserve to get caught just the same as anybody else. My mom loves the site because she feels like she is more connected with her kids and grandkids that live out of state. If not for Facebook she would miss quite a bit of their lives.

“it can be a great tool, so long as caution is exercised, especially insofar as kids are concerned.”

You know, I’m less worried about the pervs than the idiotic things kids post on line. “In my day”, we would vent our immature emotions in a diary: “I love so-and-so”, “I hate so-and-so”, “If I ruled the world . . . “, “The government is fascist”, “I hate Republicans, or blacks, or policemen”, not to mention confessing what seems like minor indiscretions like shoplifting or graffiti. It doesn’t take long for a more mature person to read those diary entries and cring at them. Most of us, for our own sake and for the sake of our progeny, are apt to burn those monuments to childishness. Facebook and its confreres is a permanent public diary for too many kids. They don’t seem to realize that these entries can be lifted, taken out of context and used to destroy their future opportunities. The idea that they might someday be investigated for security clearances or have their backgrounds vetted for political or professional advancement is something completely out of their consciousness. The notion that enemies might make hay with these entries is nothing short of incredible to them.

Now I will admit that I have a very strong need for privacy. I’m not paranoid (I don’t think) but I get profoundly uncomfortable putting myself on display for strangers and I get even more uncomfortable when something I do is put on display by a friend or family member who puts it on their Facebook page. I suppose I feel that if someone or something wants to attack you, why provide the ammunition for the sake of some emotional support, to vent or to impress someone?

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