Hacked

I understand that having your most intimate moments passed around the internet must be a horrifically upsetting situation, and I feel for Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, pop star Ariana Grande, and the others, but there is no one to blame but themselves. There is one basic rule of the world wide web regarding privacy, and it has existed, without change, since Al Gore invented the internet. It’s the rule I teach my children and it’s the rule that if Ms. Lawrence, Dunst, and Grande would have taken to heart they would not be experiencing their current embarrassment. Simply put it is this: Unless you are 100% comfortable with the idea that whatever you are about to upload to the internet (picture, video, comment, email, post, status update, etc…) will be available to everyone on the planet, forever – if that idea makes you hesitate, even for a moment, then don’t do it. It’s that simple. And if there was a second rule to internet privacy, it would just read: See rule number one.

It’s unfortunate that iPhone and internet users believe that they are entitled to some form of privacy on the internet. Most of the terms of service agreements that we all agree to without reading, basically confirm the opposite. Although entities like Apple state that privacy is a top concern, they make no guarantees and claim no responsibility when your intimate photos end up on TMZ. 

But many still insist that privacy laws are on their side and are entitled to privacy on the internet. And that argument would really mean something, if the internet was governed by a united front of globally agreed upon regulation and enforcement. But since that is not our reality, the internet will continue to be the wild wild west, the kind of place in which privacy laws have all the enforcement power of well meaning suggestions.

Every internet gunslinger riding on the world wide web today needs to employ something already at their disposal before pressing that send button – Common Sense.  See rule Number one.

What are your thoughts? Do you think you are entitled to some form of privacy on the Internet, and if so, why?