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Actually, I'd say most people do have the attitude he has about privacy, which is what makes the wave of privacy hand wringing mildly annoying. Most regular us
by jraines 16y ago
Actually, I'd say most people do have the attitude he has about privacy, which is what makes the wave of privacy hand wringing mildly annoying. Most regular users of Facebook or Google couldn't care less. I can't back this up with data, but I'd bet on it. Even if its a lot in absolute numbers, the materiality threshold is really high. If ever HN user and every techcrunch reader quit facebook tomorrow, I doubt that would be enough to provoke a drastic course correction from fb.
- brazzy 16y agoMost users simply don't realize how little privacy they have online and what consequences it can have. They're relying on social instincts that tell them that only the people they percieve as being present can hear what they say, and that it might get passed on, but thereby becomes hearsay and gossip that can be denied. They may know intellectually that online statements are much less ephemeral and private than spoken words, but the act based on their instincts, not their knowledge.
- NZ_Matt 16y agoHow do you know that most Facebook users think like that? I believe most users have a better understanding than you are giving them credit for.
- brazzy 16y agohttp://www.geekologie.com/2009/08/how_to_lose_your_job_via_faceb.php http://www.geekologie.com/2009/08/how_to_lose_your_job_via_f... http://www.geekologie.com/2008/10/moron_calls_in_sick_busted_on.php http://www.geekologie.com/2008/10/moron_calls_in_sick_busted... http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_google_failed_internet_meme.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_google_failed_inter... Anecdotal evidence for sure, but my main point wasn't even about what users think, but about them acting based on social instincts without giving it much thought.
- kareemm 16y agohave you ever talked to normal people about technology. not to teach them, but to understand how they think? you could figure out how accurate your belief is. geeks take the basics for granted. For example: here are normal people answering the question "What is a web browser": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ. talk to normal ppl about IP addresses, privacy settings, open graph, API, etc etc and their eyes glaze over. in my experience, most of them have no clue. (not because they're dumb, mind you - it's because they don't live and work online like most of us.)