Issue 24: Your Private Instagram is Actually Public
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we return to data privacy and consider how much is too much to share online. – Joseph Dana, Senior Editor
THE BIG TAKE
Your Private Instagram is Actually Public
We can’t really be that surprised. Web researchers at Buzzfeed discovered this week that anyone with limited knowledge of HTML can easily access any private Instagram account. This news probably shocks many of us. We love using the photo-sharing platform with close friends to share family photos. That private account is a glimpse into our personal lives. But should we be that upset that Instagram’s privacy controls were little more than a mirage? Not really.
A world without privacy: Let’s face it: privacy is dead. Our dependence on smartphones means we will continue to hand over more and more data about ourselves to technology companies. The entire smartphone model is predicated on the collection and analysis of data to facilitate myriad services. Yes, services like Google Maps, Instagram, and Gmail are “free” but the reality is that “free” is pretty expensive when you consider all the information you have to hand over.
What can be done? With skyrocketing rates of smartphone usageworldwide (that’s a good thing, mind you), the only solution for data privacy is awareness coupled with strong consumer regulations. We need detailed awareness campaigns informing children from a young age about the nature of sharing on the internet. Coupled with strong data privacy laws that make sure not to stifle innovation, this is the best chance we have at maintaining some shred of privacy online. While the awareness efforts show promise, the inability of some countries to push through sensible legislation is a big concern. For the time being, think twice before posting anything to your private account.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for, in plain language, and repeatedly. I believe people are smart. Some people want to share more than other people do. Ask them."
Steve Jobs
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
This should make you think: What happens when machine learning becomes really good? That is the basic question unpacked by Havard professor of internet law Jonathan Zittrain in a recent article for the New Yorker. It is a simple question that opens a pandora’s box of ethical dilemmas and questions for society. Chief among them is the issue of intellectual debt. This week, we explored the intersection of intellectual debt and our cognitive abilities.
Handwriting still matters: When many of us think back to those crisp autumn days and summer’s fleeting embrace, fresh school supplies come to mind. The situation is a bit different today as backpacks are stuffed with fully charged iPads and cellphones. We unpacked the current trends in educational technology and how a simple skill like handwriting never goes out of style.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Attention cure: We are writing more than we ever have before. Consider the number of email and text messages that you send in a day. With all that writing, do you ever find yourself at a loss for words? A new web application called Squibler might have a solution but there is a pretty big catch. It’s a writing app that deletes what you’ve written if you stop writing for too long. With our attention spans waning, this might be the best innovation of the year.
Machine learning on the iPhone: Apple released its touted new iPhones this week. While there was a lot of focus on the camera and improved battery life, the California company spent a fair bit of time explaining how its phones are built for machine learning. We already use machine learning on a daily basis but Apple thinks it is going to be an even bigger part of our lives. But is it worth $1,200?