Photo: Mark Zillman
Knock knock. They will find you.
I don't expect a lot of privacy on the internet today. I don't expect much privacy when I surf web pages. I don't expect much privacy when I check my email. I don't even expect much privacy when I Google something. But I do expect a little privacy on the internet and in this world.
It seems each generation of Americans is expecting less privacy. Speed, security and laziness are contributing factors. But 30 years from now, will Americans have any privacy at all? Not at this pace.
Your friendly government knows a lot about you. Big Brother knows what emails you are sending. "They" scan your . "They" can track your cell phone. That innocent web search you made? "They" know about it. Even your face isn't safe. They will recognize it. But that isn't a big deal when "They" could implant RF tags inside you anyway. And when local police chiefs want to put cameras in private homes, or your living room, you should be worried, too.
The media have a responsibility to watch the watchman. Certainly the media have had a field day with recent wireless phone taps and warrant-less searches.
But Chicagocrime.org is taking a different approach to protect us. The web site lists crimes committed in Chicago, then places them on a user friendly map. So the next time you want to take Rover or Fluffy for a walk, you might want to avoid the 11600 block on S. Halsted St.
However, I have some privacy concerns about this site. If there is a murder on my block (Chicagocrime.org usually just gives the block address, not an exact location), I don't really want to explain to neighbors and friends what happened in that apartment complex or parking garage down the road. And there is that whole guilt by association thing that I would rather not deal with ("He lives by a murder; maybe he did it!"). And I am sure that will do wonders for my property value when I try to sell my house or apartment.
Now I realize that all of the information on Chicagocrime.org is readily available to the public. But if the public wants it, they can go and get it. They don't need a user friendly map that gossipers galore and utilize.
But when Joe Sixpack can spy on me from space via Google maps just as easily as the government can, this privacy concen may be a little minute.
But a little privacy can go a long way. It has to. If it doesn't, "they" know where to find me.
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