[Air-l] Facebook protests

[Kevin Guidry]

On 9/6/06, Dr. W. Reid Cornwell <wrc at tcfir.org> wrote:
> I am more interested in where the "expectation of privacy" is derived.

   I hypothesize that it stems from a partial understanding (or,
equivalently, a misunderstanding) of digital information and our
ability to search, categorize, aggregate, and otherwise manipulate it,
particularly in a networked world.

> There is little legal precedent for this and it is not constitutionally derived.

   Most people don't form their everyday expecations by referencing
case law or the US Constitution (especially if they're not American!).

> It is not a solely an Internet issue. Is it a psycho/social myth reflecting
> some deeper species or is it denial in the face overwhelming information to
> the contrary.

   I don't think most people regularly come into contact with
"overwhelming information to the contrary."  The idea of
infinitely-replicable and searchable information is contrary to our
experience with physical objects.  I further suspect the metaphors we
choose to employ in describing or modeling these tools and concepts
(windows, desktops, facebooks, friends, etc.) play a strong role in
this confusion.
   Let's face it - most people don't work with information or consider
these issues like we do.  They're starting to think of these issues as
they are *forced* to confront them but it's gonna be a real rough
transition for most people.


Kevin