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Thoughts on Internet Privacy

(Shhh...don't tell anyone!)

Today is the day Google's new Privacy Policy goes into effect.  I haven't read it.  I might.  I know what I know about it from news reports and blogs.  I figured today would be as good a day as any to polish up this work-in-progress and finally post it.  So here you are.

I continue to fail to understand the notion that on "the Internet" everyone SHOULD be anonymous by default and "going public" is an opt-in scenario.  In this information age, this is an antiquated way of doing things. 

Damn near everything we do--those of us who aren't hermits or luddites--IS trackable by default.  So when do we stop treating the privacy wonks like they're the majority?  ARE they the majority?  Do MOST people truly care about this?  (We could argue forever about whether or not they should…but that's not my point.)


We Americans have a long history of hanging on to things for no other reason than because we always have.  It's why you can still ride your horse down the middle of main street and cars have to wait for you.  It's why a hundred years from now merchants will still be obligated to accept hard currency as payment.  And it's why now, when (I assert) most people don't give a damn about their privacy, as evidenced by the millions who join Facebook and never alter the default security settings and who never EVER read a EULA or a privacy statement, a vocal minority cries "foul!" in their name when companies do what they said they would do--track everything you do.

I. Don't. Care.

I think I used to.  Maybe.  And I reserve the right to some day change my mind and start caring about this again.  But these companies don't care about "me".  Or you.  Or anyone else.  They care about aggregate data which they analyze to determine trends and target information, most notably advertising.  This has been going on for as long as advertising has existed.  You don't send catalogs advertising fur coats to Hawaii.  That's a no-brainer.  As someone with something to sell and a limited advertising budget, you want to know who is most likely to buy your stuff.  Information such as browsing histories and even the contents of your e-mail is all tossed together to help companies get the biggest bang for their advertising dollar.
And I'm good with that.  I know the potential to abuse this information exists.  But I'm willing to take my chances.  The argument that those who advocate for Privacy Rights must have something to hide is crap and I know it.  I'm not making that argument.  But I really don't have anything to hide.  So I personally don't see the point of bothering to.  I live my daily existence making three assumptions:

  1. Everything I type on any computer anywhere is being seen and read by everyone, everywhere.
  2. Everything I say on any telephone is being heard by everyone, everywhere.
  3. Every time I leave my house, someone is taking my picture.


I assume those three things and behave accordingly.  Is that sad?  Is it "giving in"?  Maybe.  But in my analysis, it's far easier to "own" my behavior and its consequences than it is to exercise the level of paranoia and subsequent action that would be necessary to obviate those three assumptions.  I don't want to live like that!  There are some things that simply must be kept private and secret because People Suck.  Things like your Social Security number, bank account info, and passwords/PINs for accessing them.  But the rest of it?  Meh.  Google/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest are all welcome to it!
 

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Posted by Romeyn Prescott on March 1, 2012 1:14:00 PM EST #

Little Things That Remind Me Why I Love My Job

 

Things are uncertain where I work.  Some if it is because of where I work and what the economic downturn has done.  Some of it is because the the world of I.T. is poised on the cusp of massive change.  The Old Ways, tried and true though they may be, are about to be swept away.  Dealing with an industry that thrives on innovation and rapid advancement (I.T.) while working in Academia, the essence of which seems to deny rapidity at any level is challenging during the best of times.  Add to the mix what is perhaps the most convoluted State bureaucracy in the nation and leadership operating under the misguided notion that 64 distinct entities can somehow all be the same just because they're all in the same State and, well, I'll say it again: Things are uncertain where I work.

It's easy to let all of this get to you if you think about it too much.  It's depressing, really.  As someone blessed with more than his fair share of Common Sense, working in such an environment can be a soul-sucking experience.  No one is empowered to or takes the initiative to make serious decisions without first holding series of meetings involving scads of "stakeholders" under the misguided belief that everyone must be happy with the decision that needs to be made.  More often than not this leads to nothing getting accomplished.  But at least everyone's happy!

And then there are the specific incidents of nonsense.  Just today I was called to one of my computer labs to open up the backs of the tables where the cabling is run.  The fire inspector had noted that there was a power strip plugged into a power strip.  This apparently is a no-no.  So I get there and am greeted by someone who points me to the table in question.  I open it up and proceed to go around the room opening all of the rest of the tables too.  This person was confused.  "They only said that one," I was informed.  I smiled, and said, "I can guarantee you there are at least three more of those hookups in this room!"  "But," she sputtered, "we were only told about that one..."  "Wrong is wrong," I said, "If it's wrong there, then it's wrong everywhere.  And if it needs fixing, it needs fixing everywhere.  We're going to do this right or we're not going to do it at all!"  Exasperated, she said (again), but they only found that ONE!"  "Oh, so we're legal-'til-we're-caught on all of the other ones??" I exclaimed.  She looked mortified and almost shushed me, like I had said something horrific--a Truth that dare not be spoken.  "I'm going to have to call my supervisor..."  "You go ahead and do that," I urged, "I'll have that conversation with [name]!!"

Why did I even need to have that conversation?  It's pointless crap like that which wears me down.  Until the really cool stuff happens.

I have a good deal of flexibility in my job.  I can chain myself to my desk if I so choose, dispatching assistants to the labs and classrooms to do "hands-on" work when it needs doing.  I can also go myself.  After the incident with the power strips, I decided to go in search of why I love working here.  I found it in a couple of places.  I had an appointment in a professor's office to try and figure out why his computer had no network connection.  This professor is a vocal coach.

At this point I must explain something about being "The I.T. Guy."  The I.T. Guy is generally revered.  Usually when we show up, it's to "save the day" from the perspective of the person whom we are there to help.  Indeed, most people can't get out from behind their desks fast enough so we can sit down and "work our magic."  Most of them do so and proceed to go about their business as if we are not there.  This allows us to experience all sorts of cool stuff!  I have had more interesting conversations with people from all sorts of academic disciplines than I can count; just because I was in their office working on their computer for 20 minutes.  It's awesome.

Back to the vocal coach.  I'm sitting in his office troubleshooting his computer while sitting at his piano.  Yes, piano.  Everyone in Crane has a piano in their office, and the network jack just happened to be next to his.  So I'm sitting at the piano doing my thing while he coaches his student on a cappella improvisation while singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."  She's doing well, but clearly in too low a register.  "You probably ought to start with C," he said.  I instinctively reach down and hit middle C on the keyboard.  There is the slightest flicker of surprise (yet approval) on his face for just an instant as he nods at his student who finds her note and proceeds.  I was part of her lesson for the day!  And I got to listen to her sing.

This sort of thing happens to me all the time.  The "hero" there to save the day is frequently invited to stick around, sometimes even to participate in the lecture/discussion to which he has been privy the last 20 minutes while he "figures it out."  Sometimes I do.  Most times I don't.  Too much to do!

I finished the work day in a basement lab putting the finishing touches on a problem that had gone on far too long with too many "cooks" involved who were about to spoil the soup.  There is something very satisfying about kicking them all out of the virtual kitchen, rolling up your sleeves, and just making the soup, dammit!  Because you know how, how it should be done, and can "just do it."  I did it.  And it was indeed satisfying.

It is opportunities like those that make putting up with all the rest of the bullshit worth it.  I could go on about how working in the presence of a few thousand 18-22 year olds keeps you young at heart, but that's fodder for another post, another day.  I LOVE my job.  More than that, I love where I get to do it.  Change is coming, yes.  And bureaucracy will never die.  But at least I get to experience all of it HERE.
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Posted by Romeyn Prescott on January 26, 2012 9:31:00 PM EST #

Born Free, Taxed To Death

It's about trade-offs and choices

I was about to usurp a Facebook friend's wall for this, but thought better of it.  No longer a village of Potsdam resident, she commented on yesterday's vote to NOT dissolve the village; recalling that the tax burden was too much for her, but that the majority of current residents "apparently likes it this way."

Yes I do!  Here's why:

Tangibles: Most notably water & sewer.  I don't know what it costs to maintain one's own water supply and waste disposal system, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.  I do know that they are NOT trouble-free.  Lit streets where you can walk at night in safety on maintained sidewalks.

Intangibles (i.e., "variable" : Living in the village, I can practically walk most places.  Even if I choose to drive (and I usually do), it's not far.  It costs me $0.25/mile to operate my car. (All gas and other expenses since I've owned it...there's an app for that!)  If I move, say, 5 miles away from where I work, putting me outside the village, that gives me a 10 mile commute.  Figure a liberal 250 workdays a year, that's $625 just getting back and forth to work, nevermind errands into town for life's other essentials.  Two people work?  Two cars?  Do the math.  It adds up fast!  A friend of mine lives about 25 miles from work.  If it costs him the same amount to operate his vehicle ($0.25), he spends over $3,000 a year just going back and forth to work!

I could go on, but those things alone put me close to my Village tax bill all by themselves. 

People who choose to locate, be it residentially or commercially, inside the Village do so because they ascribe value and benefit to being located there where there are sidewalks, trash and yard waste removal, where you are within ready walking distance of our shops and restaurants, and where you don't have to maintain a well or a septic system.  I know I don't speak for everyone on this matter, but some of us are willing to pay for those benefits and don't find our taxes unreasonable.

People who don't want those benefits--those who don't think it's worth the added cost--locate outside the Village.  They pay a different price in the way of relative inconvenience.  Having to maintain those systems I listed themselves and having to get in their cars to do almost anything.  It boils down to personal preference.  No one is "right" or "wrong."  Life for some people is likely cheaper outside the village, if you calculate "cheaper" by simply looking at tax bills.  But I submit it's way more complicated than that. 

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Posted by Romeyn Prescott on November 9, 2011 3:21:00 PM EST #