Reading Log

"Think Before You Share" by: Brock Read
"Facing the Facebook" by: Michael J. Bugeja
"The Decline and Fall of the Private Self" by: Carlin Flora

Summary: These articles look at the privacy issues which have aroused from certain Internet sites and blogging. Whether it is students being caught by police from facebook photos, to a young girl being abducted and killed after being an active blogger, the way people are using the Internet is posing various risks to their well being.

Response: You always hear about how dangerous the Internet is but until individual stories actually hit home, I don't think people actually realize of the risks that they are taking. I remember my parents were the ones who taught me not to go into chat rooms, and not to put my personal information on the Internet. Perhaps their warnings are what have kept me away from the "social Internet" web sites. I don't have a myspace, and I check facebook maybe once a month to keep up with my friends who have gone to schools out of state. I definitely wouldn't call myself a regular though. Don't get me wrong, I feel terrible for the people who are victims, but did they not know the risks they were taking when they phone number on the Internet? Why didn't their parents teach them how dangerous it really is?
The idea of facebook acting as a "big brother," however detrimental, is to be expected. People may not have realized it at first, but it is a public site, meaning anybody can look at it. I know that I don't post any pictures or conversations which may cause employers to look down upon me. Frankly, I think it is a risk, it is public, and the people who get caught for doing illegal things because of it, or who may not get a job because of their secret lives, shouldn't be complaining about it. It's a gamble. In Las Vegas they don't give you your money back when you don't win. You made that bet knowing that things may not turn out in your favor and because of that you have to face the consequences. Now I think police should have better things to do then cruise through facebook for the latest party, but at the same time, if you don't want to get caught, don't incriminate yourself on a public site.