The harsh realities of cyberspace and ending up as a dirtbag’s dinner
I think I’ve written before about how I’m a little bit paranoid about meeting a stranger, getting stalked and then, being sewn into said stranger’s new skin tuxedo. Yet despite all my stranger danger, I seem to forget that even being online opens oneself up to a vast world of privacy insecurity. I never think twice about ordering something online or allowing myself to “check in” at places via a number of social networking platforms, and though I do think twice about clicking “allow” on the rare occasion I do utilize a Facebook app, I only consider the consequences for a split second.
According to a recent article in PC World, “the reality is that privacy and social networking are polar opposites that don’t play nicely together.” This reality is driven home by a little website I just ran across called takethislollipop.com. This viral phenomenon surfaced a bit before Halloween but continues to drive home the reality about how vulnerable we are even just sitting at home behind a keyboard; that real people lurk behind their monitors.
Upon visiting this site, you click “like” and give it permission to connect with your information via Facebook. Magically, you’re whisked away to some creeper’s freaky lair, where you proceed to watch him leer over Facebook profiles – your Facebook profile. Yep, while you watch the creeper’s sweaty five-o’clock shadow twitch over some cute girl’s profile pictures, you realize those pictures are of yourself – your pictures and other personal information included on your page.
I’ve got to admit it’s extremely unsettling.
It gets worse. Creeper then finds out your city – you watch him type it into a Google search and then, the video shows him erratically driving somewhere – presumably, to your house, where you think you’re safe. What’s worse is that when he exits his Ford Pinto (OK, I don’t know if it’s a Pinto, per se, but I just imagine most creepers drive something straight out of 1974), you notice your main profile picture taped to the dashboard. Though that’s the last image you see, you can only imagine that at some point, you’ll become little more than filet o’ fish.
CNN puts it best, “the creepy results just might make you think twice about who else gets access to your online information.” You think? CNN also writes that the creator Jason Zada says “the clip is definitely meant to spur thought about how much information we share online.” It also makes me want to take up ninja training and sleep with a Glock under my pillow.
As of the writing of this column, more than 10 million people have liked this website on their Facebook. And even though the application claims it uses your data one time and then deletes it, the disturbing reality check of the whole thing makes you wonder about this and every other time you do something online. Are those 10 million people really safe?
Consider phone books of days gone by (remember those?), and though names and addresses were available, it seems that with today’s technology, comes greater accessibility. With that should come responsibility, but with the barrage of websites on a number of devices, it’s a challenge. My advice? Be smart when online. Don’t put your name or address or any personal information out there for strangers to find. If the website doesn’t seem credible, it likely isn’t. Parents be aware of what your kids are doing online and don’t let them online without your supervision. These are pretty basic, but there’s a wealth of information (ironically) online regarding Web filters, parental controls and monitoring software, to name a few resources.
Even my own eyes are opened with takethislollipop.com and I vow to be a little more careful about what I post out there in cyberspace. I have a number of goals in life and avoiding becoming skin pants is definitely up there.
Holly Braithwaite is the communication director at Utah System of Higher Education. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her miniature pinscher, Rico Tubbs.