putting your life into cyber space?

As I was on my way to playgroup the other day, I think one of those ‘Google cars’ might have passed me. It was a car with a camera mounted on the top, they take pictures round the streets and you can view them on Google street view. At the time, I was doing the ‘buggy board walk’ which, as anyone who has ever pushed a buggy with a board attached to the back, knows, is when you walk at a slightly odd angle with your bum stuck out! Not my best look, I have to say. It got me to thinking about the uproar about privacy that the Google Cars have causes (in the news the other day). I guess, they would stay, if you’re out on the street, then you’re fair game? but I read something the other day, about a guy who opened his curtains (naked) to find the car with camera driving up the street towards him! Ummm, have we all gone a bit mad in this world of technology and internet, will our whole lives soon be played out over the web for viewing? (even now – I am posing my thoughts into cyber space for anyone to read) I also read a blog by a woman who was concerned that she named her kids in her blog – but I guess if a stranger said to you in the street “lovely children, what are their names?” or “what do you thing of ‘Google street cars?” and you answered them, then you could argue that it is no different? is it not just general conversation with people you haven’t actually met?!!

Then there’s the whole ‘photos on Facebook’ debate. I have got friends who put allsorts of pictures from their life and of their kids for anyone to see, and others who won’t put a single picture on. I put mine on, usually to let friends and family see (family in particular as both sets of grandparents live away, and Rob’s sister and her family are in USA) so I always set to the setting ‘only my friends’ can see these, apart from anything else, I’m not sure how many people would really be interested in viewing my grubby little girls planning runner beans?!!. Do we live our lives too much on the internet these days? I have got friends on Facebook who ‘status update’ numerous times a day….. it’s as thought they are ‘status updating’ their entire day! Don’t get me wrong, I like to ‘status update’ once in a while, especially if I’m out, but I do have a limit, and definitely draw the line at letting you all know my every move, as it happens!!