Matt’s Cuppa

The most recent copy of Scientific American is all about security and the net. I always find these discussions interesting because, as a blogger and a social media strategist, I WANT to be found. But I want to be found on my terms. That’s why I have a Facebook account and a LinkedIn profile.

That begs an interesting question. Those of us who blog work hard to create their online persona. It a brand that people recognize as ‘you’. Some bloggers create a persona that is more or less like their actual self. (Mine happens to mostly be real myself; its much easier to keep track of!) Will some government initiative someday require us to expose our true identities to our readers? Would it matter?

The more talked about controversy is definitely government spying. What do our packets have to say about us? Maybe more importantly, is it okay for our governement to collect this information without our consent or knowledge? This makes me think of Google’s ability to view your search history going back as far as your account creation.

I guess I’m alright with agencies reading my mail if that’s what it takes to keep the net relatively un-policed. (That is a whole other topic I could write on…) What concession do I demand in return for my cooperation? I want someplace where I can log in and view the inforation that has been collected. I want to know what agency dug through my trash and when. If these law enforcement agencies followed Google’s example, I think would make a good compromise. We can make the internets safe without destroying the freedoms that created the World Wide Web in the first place.

Popularity: 10% [?]