Boyd

Dear Ms. Boyd,

I found that your writing about surveillance through social technologies was very informative and true.  With nearly everything in our world today being involved with technology people are becoming accustomed to always being connected.  The ways of the past are history and it appears our future will be so much different.  The social norms and what is expected is changing all of the time.  What used to be considered privacy 20 years ago is completely different than how people look at it now, especially with the introduction of technology and social networks.  People understand that when they log on to websites like Facebook and Twitter that their friends and followers are constantly watching them.  In order to be relevant and in the loop these days people almost have to conform to the “public-by-default, private-through-effort” type of online mentality.  This means taking certain precautions to protect yourself from harmful threats.  Beyond worrying about what your friends can see on your social media sites, a lot of people worry about what future employers may find via a simple Google search.  The world we live in persists people to stay connected because it seems as if everyone else always is too.  Social networking is a fun idea and probably the most popular thing to do online.  Since this is the case people choose not to stay off the grid to stay connected with friends and family.  Managing the dynamics of a life under constant surveillance is almost normal now for teenagers because they do what they have to do to remain as private as they want.  Whether this means “white-walling” your Facebook profile or just changing the lyrics in your status is up to you.   

Yours truly,

Chris Imperiale