Every key stroke you make, I'll be watching you...

Okay so I changed the words of Stings 80's hit "Every breath you take" for the title of this post, but it's fitting considering the topic is online privacy. But the truth is that every word, sentence and paragraph that I type on this blog is recorded and can be looked at by ANYONE. Like Lawrence Lessig emphasized in his 2008 speech at University of Chicago: data is endless, it survives forever, and is open for the world to see. As a result, some people have become paranoid or at least cautious, while some remain oblivious when online.

I'm stuck in between the paranoid and cautious crowd. Sometimes I worry about what I communicate online simply because it can be used against me. Don't get wrong, it's not like I'm running for Mayor, but I monitor myself because I know the kind of cyber world we live in. For example many companies will do a thorough background check online even before that first interview. We've all heard of cases where job candidates are eliminated because of that inappropriate pic on Facebook. Yet it still happens. People still act inappropriate online, write things they shouldn't, and not care about the consequences. Those people belong in the oblivious crowd. They think the web is private and it's their right to do whatever online. But it just doesn't work that way. Like the song goes...

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
I'll be watching you