What Happened To My Private Life?

After reading these two articles on two different scenarios for teachers and their privacy, my own feelings that I have been cautious about have started to rise again.

Firstly in regards to the articles, Ashley Payne who was turned in by an anonymous email for her Facebook photos has a real reason to be upset. Being a teacher I do agree that you have responsibilities towards the children and you are seen as a role model. But I know I have seen many of my past teachers in public settings with alcohol or have been smoking. I saw them with my own eyes. I believe this is the same situation. Miss. Payne should not be made an example of because of photos. It is not like she came into class one day cursed at her students, then drank a beer while she taught history. This is her own private life, a holiday experience, and her own business. So in all honesty I feel sorry that Ashley Payne was crucified over such a petty case.

On the flip side, the teacher in the other article I believed crossed the line. Although it is her private blog, she is fusing her work with her private life. And when the negative outlook on her job, her students, her school, and the education system are posted online it gives off the image that nothing is good in American education. So her punishment is well deserved.

In addition to these articles I start to wonder about my own privacy. As a student-athlete here I have to be careful what I post online just in case a media person comes across something they don't like. They can use any image they find, any quote, or story and twist it our of context to use for their work. This I worry about, for myself, and anybody who can be scrutinized by the public.

To me, what happens in a person's private life away from school, sport, or work is their own life. The way people are hounded by media is disgusting and is just morally wrong. It is a shame that many famous people can not go out in public without someone knowing, or a sports person can't have a drink without an uproar occurring. This to me is a big downfall in today's media, and private society.

I am a firm believer in having my own private life away from everything. I know that when I start a career in whatever profession I will probably destroy my Facebook and Twitter so I am not investigated by anyone, which is a shame because I like the social networking sites.

In conclusion, I believe the private life of a professional, no matter their profession should be kept as their own private life, and should not be at the disposable for anybody who is not welcome into that little world they keep from the real world.

Who Owns Your Cloud?

With the new phenomenon of cloud computing coming to the surface recently, many people, lawyers included have become concerned with the privacy aspect of this new technology. In the article

Intro to Cloud Computing and Its Ethical Implications --Is There a Silver Lining - Part I of II found on http://www.criminallawlibraryblog.com/2010/04/intro_to_cloud_computing_and_i.html

it opens up our minds into the problems we could encounter with cloud computing and also individual thoughts and feelings about cloud type software.

The main focus of the article is an overview of what cloud computing is and why it has become so popular, and also why lawyers need to be up to date with cloud computing because of the privacy issues that may come up with clients.

The article brings up many ethical and privacy related issues which poses questions and thoughts in my mind about cloud computing.

Firstly is cloud computing safe?

It is easy to see why cloud computing can be successful and positive, but you only have to look at facebook and twitter to see why it can also have a negative effect. Whatever you post on these pages are no longer private. People can find out so much about a person they have never met by a google search for their facebook, or twitter page. This to me is a scary thought. You only have to watch ESPN nightly to see reporters posting twitter comments from pro athletes about anything and everything. To me this is crazy. Yes I do have a facebook and twitter account, but I never really considered the problems that could give me if I were in a working business that requires privacy. 

For example I will shut down my facebook and twitter once I become a teacher. Why? because what private life and my work life should be separate especially when dealing with teenagers all day everyday. 

On the flipside their should also be personal responsibility on the person who posts anything on cloud computing web sites. If you are worried about what you have on the site, delete it. 

So in conclusion even though cloud computing is a very smart idea and could be very helpful in the right situation the ethical issues that could come to the surface with the cloud need to be monitored and taken seriously.

Media Addiction - True or False?

After reading the article about the Study done at Marylan I realised how truly dependent I am with media everyday. I mean I need it in my life, I use Facebook, my phone, internet to kill time, and Skype on a very regular basis. In my own defence as a foreign student I use the resources to try keep up with my family and friends back home because I do not want to lose touch with them. But at the same time I know I don't need Facebook and e-mail and my cell phone everyday.

So when reading the article I realized that I agree people are becoming addicted to technology. You only have to watch television commercials for phones, laptops, gaming devices and other appliances to see how much it is taking over modern life. For instance, I saw a commercial for a fridge that had a TV built into the door, that could access internet. Seriously, what good could that possibly do? Is that really needed?

So I guess what I am trying to say is I agree that people have taken the need for social interaction too far, so far to the point where it has become an addiction. And I would love to go back to the days where people interacted more face to face, or by letter. Because when people say things face to face, or in a handwritten letter it has more meaning and can not re-typed, edited, beautified in colors and different fonts, but it seems more real and in my mind 'cooler' to receive and be a part of.

But then on the flipside, I am writing this thing in bed, on a laptop I use everyday, after I just got off the phone with my parents. If you can't beat them, join them.