Strategically Communicating

The readings from this week discussing privacy concerns reminded me of my grandparents. My grandfather was a very paranoid man and believed communication devices like TV, phones and radios were used to spy on American citizens. He lived his life under the assumption that any electronic device that could send a signal to you would also be used to send signals back. When my father was growing up (and seen by me as a small child) he would always make sure the TV was covered with a sheet or cloth when not in use and all radio antennas were down and in their locked positions. He passed away before the Internet was in full swing and, for his sake, that may have been for the best. I’m not sure he could have managed to live in a world like we do today. My mother’s parents, on the other hand, are quite the opposite and fit the mold described in the Privacy Paradox. There isn’t an email they won’t respond to or link they won’t click when they get on their computer, which has led to many hilarious problems.

It’s interesting that we tend to prefer privacy, yet connect to as many social media sites as possible or divulge personal details on virtually every online site for shopping, news, etc. I can’t decide if this is more of a FOMO issue or the way technology has been shaped. Maybe both? In any event, here’s an interesting video highlighting this issue: