I’m getting ready to do a story on-the-air about Internet tracking. It all started with one line that’s been in my head for months.
If I asked to stand behind you and watch everything you do, read everything you read, hear everything you hear, would you mind?
One of the scarier parts of the web is the inability to escape your past! I am glad my life growing up is not online.
Growing-up is supposed to be full of experimentation and often wrong choices. We’ve all been there. That’s how you learn.
Imagine having to answer at 40 or 50 for things you did at 17. Isn’t that what’s going to happen?
Who could pass such a test?
I think kids today don’t really comprehend that their digital footprint won’t be going away. Maybe they don’t care, maybe it’s kind of like a Steve Jobs “reality distortion field”. I don’t know really. But they’re not giving it the gravitas it deserves. I’ve seen children of family and close friends posting pictures on FB that would have been better suited for Girls Gone Wild or something similar. For a generation that should be very tech savvy I’m at a loss as to why they think a potential employer after graduation would not be vetting them, especially via FB.
Geoff, I was out to dinner with family, and missed your segment. Is there anyway you could post it on your blog, or on Fox’s website. I would love for my 12 year old to see it….and I want to see it too. Thanks!
Geoff, While I agree with you about our digital footprint, and not being easily able to escape your past. I have a feeling, what we did in our teens and twenties in the short term may come back to hurt them. In the longer term as we progress thru this digital realm. That will be excused for the most part, and more importance will be given to what has or is happening after 25 or so. As more of our youth is exposed to this digital tracking it will become the norm and less importance will be given to our wild youth. That is not to say, being in our 30’s and still posting some of the pictures and adventures may take a little more explaining to do. At least this is what I hope
It’s funny you should write about this because the other day I googled myself (yes, I do that occasionally!) and I was somewhat surprised to see comments I’ve made on different blogs. Oh I probably knew I’d see them but forget along the way. I’m pleased to say they were pretty neutral and p.c.
Which made me think about people who don’t keep it neutral and/or p.c. Some people really fly off the handle under the guise of “anonymity”. But can someone ever really be anonymous on the internet?