We Are Big Brother

A lot has been made of privacy and identity protection in the last few years. Since the advent of computing many have feared of grand central databases where "Big Brother" can keep tabs on you at will.

In recent years however those type of databases have become THE thing to do. Be it sites like ******* or the 100's of Blog/online journal sites. Each of these contain enough information to make even the most anonymous recognizeable and trackable. People are freeling giving away information that many feared Big Brother would collect on them. From personal information like Name, Age, and Location to private information like Dreams, Daily Life, and assorted Gossip. Many feel this is no big deal since it's controlled by the individual who posts it...yet look at the quizes people take, the topics you respond to, and the information you give to total strangers like myself.

It's quite easy to gain enough info to start a "Big Brother" like monitoring system for any organization. About a year or so back I picked a random person on Livejournal and withing a half hour I knew their Real Name, where they worked, who their friends where, telephone number, address, and had I spend the $$$ I would have had a credit report and SS#. All of this took a few hours of sifting through her livejournal and MOST of the important info came through her comments. She had no idea she even did it since the information was given in such a natural way it didn't seem threatening or odd.

Example: The telephone number was gained through a comment she left for a friend to call her about plans for the weekend. The place of work was gained through a complaint about her job in an entry. The rest was pretty much in similar fashion.

Now I never did anything with this information since I'm over 18 and don't need the felony. But I am now very amazed how freely we give information that we try so hard to protect. We freak out about the federal government having secret files on us yet never pause to think that the guy next door with 100 gig Harddrives full of personal info on people may be MUCH more dangerous in the long run than any 1984 scenario we have in our heads.

This may sound a bit parinoid...but give it a shot youself...pick a person and give yourself 15 to find out personal info on them. I think you'l be surprised how much you really find.

Creepy...but so very true

omg i trid it and its true god thing i always use my pseudonym Miguel Sanchez

I think your name will travel through about 30 computers a second....... I heard that somewhere but I'm sure it's true.