With the advent of the internet and social media, the very definition of privacy has changed. Social media entices users to disclose personal information through status messages, events, invitations and photographs. And in the process, users violate the privacy of their relatives and friends as well.
Earlier, only celebrities had to worry about their privacy being infringed upon, but nowadays everyone with followers and friends on social media faces the challenge of being a celebrity. Today, every post, comment, photograph or like can be seen by hundreds, if not thousands of friends and acquaintances. And a lot of this is also freely accessible for total strangers due to the ever shifting privacy settings on social media today.
That means a lot of personal content can be pulled up by anyone at any time, including before a job interview or a background check. For many others, especially children, that can also lead to personal information being used to blackmail and cyberbullying.
Though a lot of the blame lies with social networking sites like Facebook, which blatantly violate privacy norms to increase traffic and advertisement revenue, users too, are to blame for many of the unprecedented problems we face with online privacy.
Users need to be mindful of the privacy of others when posting content on social media, even if they’re not bothered about their own. I feel there should also be a strong level of restraint to avoid offending religious or social sensibilities. The simple rule to be followed is – do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
If privacy invasion grows unchecked, we will face a situation where only the strong arm of the law can intervene. And stronger internet regulation will ring the death knell for the internet.
The success of the internet as the most powerful world force we know today, lies in its spirit of openness and equality, where everyone can be heard irrespective of nationality, wealth, age or religion.
- Reuben Benjamin is an Indian project manager based in Bengaluru, India
