The Public Life of Private People

With the ever-expanding scope of telecommunications and the need to interact with each other in an otherwise world of tenuous relationships ‘being private’ is a question mark.

There is a lot of hullabaloo on privacy but in an increasingly interconnected world it is possible for even the common person to track another.

It is not just that. Thanks to the onset of Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other related social media offerings, you can vent out your feelings, your opinions and your thoughts thereby exposing your innermost feelings to others. Some may do it inadvertently and some emotionally ( to regret it later). Many times we have seen how people get into trouble.

Videos posted on otherwise private occasions can lead to the embarrassment of many with serious repercussions. Why even photographs casually uploaded from your smartphone can be embarrassing too. Relationships get spoiled, lives shattered and turmoiled emotions. All these have implications both in personal and professional lives.

Otherwise fun apps like Maps, FB etc will identify you in places where you ought not to be! Imagine being in Chennai when you ought to be in Bangalore. Your boss would feel agitated when you are supposed to be sick but he catches you in Goa. Or how your girlfriend will feel that instead of taking her out you with the boys (or the girls) in a happening night spot!

Your competition can keep track of you, study your travel plan and arrive at what your plans are. And the rate data is being analyzed, don’t be surprised if they catch up with you. On and yes! Suspicious ‘others’ can also keep track of you.

The lines between private and public lives are blurring. While physical interaction between people get limited the virtual aspect is increasing. The results are just manifesting.