Today I was contacted by someone at work. She graduated school with me and our 20 year reunion was coming up. Why did she contact me at work? It was the only way they were able to track me down. I was included in promotional material by name. She told me I "was the hardest to track down"and I had to smile.
This is just a small anecdote about privacy practices and their real life impact (and how your employer can undo all of it, I guess)
InfiniteGlitch ( @ModernRisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) 106•3 months agoCall me pessimistic, but I do think:
- Privacy is an illusion.
- Control is an illusion (a reference to Mr. Robot).
Certainly, we can do a lot to have more privacy, but it is an illusion to think that we have complete control over it. Especially with social media, jobs, and today’s technology.
Cyrus Draegur ( @Draegur@lemm.ee ) English8•2 months agoMorality is just as much of an illusion, doesn’t mean you should be allowed to smash someone’s skull in with a brick. Social constructs and social contract were dreamed up by our species because they work and have utility.
So we better fucking do everything we CAN to sustain the "illusions*.
InfiniteGlitch ( @ModernRisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) 3•2 months agoIt seems like my comment has upset you or at least agitated you, if that’s not the case – it’s the impression you gave me.
I never said that we should ‘’not do everything we can’’; of course, we should. But that certainly does not mean we control everything. No matter how hard you try and how well you manage to maintain both privacy and control, at some point there will be a ‘’leak’’. Not by you but perhaps by your job, your family, friends or acquaintance. There are to many external things to have 100% control.
In today’s era, both privacy and control are truly mere illusions because you can maintain your privacy and believe you are in control, yet somewhere along the way, you leave a trail behind, especially with technology. I’m not sure why you brought ‘’morality’’ into the discussion of privacy and control – because that’s a whole other argument. This post and my comments were merely about these two.
Though, I did not expect my comment to get this much attention. It’s just my personal opinion, you can agree and disagree.
ReversalHatchery ( @ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org ) English4•2 months agoYour first comment sounded a little defeatist, I think that’s it
Cyrus Draegur ( @Draegur@lemm.ee ) English1•2 months agoIt’s all good, my irreverent tone didn’t come across right
FiskFisk33 ( @FiskFisk33@startrek.website ) 3•2 months agoMorality is not an illusion, it’s a social construct.
Absolute privacy is an illusion, because it doesn’t really exist, and if you believe you have achieved it you are fooling yourself.
they are not really comparable concepts.
Reawake9179 ( @Reawake9179@lemmy.kde.social ) 1•3 months agoYou’re right, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up completely.
pruneaue [she/her] ( @pruneaue@infosec.pub ) 55•3 months agoMy 10y reunion is coming up, and im like 99% sure that nobody will be able to find me lol.
Im not in contact with anyone, and ive even changed my name and as far as i know none of them know the new one either :') Hazzia ( @Hazzia@discuss.tchncs.de ) 42•3 months agoI have one up one you: I’m 100% sure nobody will find me because I’m 100% sure nobody will look for me. So take that, I guess.
tofubl ( @tofubl@discuss.tchncs.de ) 15•3 months agoHave your parents and siblings changed their everything as well? That’s how I would try to find someone I went to school with.
Th4tGuyII ( @Th4tGuyII@kbin.social ) 42•3 months agoIn terms of online presence I think one has to be careful about becoming too private - at what point do you become so untrackable that even people you would like to find you (I.e. old friends) can’t anymore.
Hellmo_luciferrari ( @Hellmo_Luciferrari@lemm.ee ) 35•3 months agoI would fully like to erase my online presence. I dont want people seeking me out.
starman ( @starman@programming.dev ) English18•3 months agoI have a website that shows up when someone searches my name on the internet and an email there. This way people are able to contact me and I don’t have to use any spyware like Facebook.
But whether that works for you depends on your threat model, I guess.
ElTacoEsMiPastor ( @toototabon@lemmy.ml ) 2•2 months agoIs it just a bare bones websites that has only your email? Do you host it?
starman ( @starman@programming.dev ) English4•2 months agoIs it just a bare bones website
No, it’s more work-oriented/portfolio type of site and it’s hosted on Cloudflare Pages under my domain.
But in this case, bare bones website would be sufficient
Coasting0942 ( @Coasting0942@reddthat.com ) 17•3 months agoAt least she didn’t hire a private investigator.
A human hunting for you can be pretty effective.
jsomae ( @jsomae@lemmy.ml ) 4•2 months agoScary to think what will happen when AI can automate that.
jet ( @jet@hackertalks.com ) English17•3 months agoAnyone can be found, the only question is how much effort people are willing to put into finding them.
Possibly linux ( @possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip ) English1•3 months agoWhat about Elvis Presley? I heard he went home.
belated_frog_pants ( @belated_frog_pants@beehaw.org ) 16•3 months agoI would be pissed and just say “that was on purpose, fuck you”.
Possibly linux ( @possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip ) English16•3 months agoOr you could not be a dick
belated_frog_pants ( @belated_frog_pants@beehaw.org ) 1•2 months agoHunting down someone and calling them at their place of work is the dick here. Thats crazy. Leave people alone if they are hard to find. Someones privacy isnt someone elses sherlock holmes moment.
OPs invader sounds like someone who peaked in HS and cant let it go.
weker01 ( @weker01@feddit.de ) 5•2 months agoSomeone is putting a lot of work into including/inviting you.
Yea my first respond would also totally be: “Fuck that person in particular” /s
delirious_owl ( @delirious_owl@discuss.online ) 10•3 months agoIs it really an issue that people can contact you? Its not really an issue of privacy if all they can do is contact you…
mattreb ( @mattreb@feddit.it ) 3•2 months agoI kinda agree with you, being impossible to contact is probably unachievable in today society…Isn’t it more important to avoid sharing more personal information, like your exact location history with Google? (or pls explain me the downvotes)
delirious_owl ( @delirious_owl@discuss.online ) 2•2 months agoWell I’m saying I want to be contactable. I’ve moved many times in my life, and I don’t want to loose contact with old lovers, friends, and colleagues.
Isn’t it wonderful when an old friend sends you a message and you get to catch up?
Possibly linux ( @possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip ) English9•3 months agoIt seems better than having the FBI track you down (not that they need too as they track all of us all the time)
FarFarAway ( @FarFarAway@startrek.website ) English6•2 months agoWell, at least you were wanted.
I’m pretty sure they called my cell all week during work hours. Place had horrible reception so if the call came through at all, i couldnt answer cause well, im at work.
But nobody ever left a message so shrug
jsomae ( @jsomae@lemmy.ml ) 6•2 months agoSucks they were able to find you this way. That’s why I always use a pseudonym.
Hugh_Jeggs ( @Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee ) 9•2 months agoYeah ok James
jsomae ( @jsomae@lemmy.ml ) 1•2 months ago:O