Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Unwilling Voyeur

The likes of Multiply, Friendster and Facebook have spawned an era of voyeurism. We can now be privy to the lives of others by looking at their pictures (provided the site isn't restricted) or get into their thoughts by reading their blogs. Internet is a way to see and be seen. Immodest people who talk about themselves endlessly have become more irrelevant- if we want to find out about you, we'd look you up on the internet. 

While this is an entertaining phenomenon to many, it can also be irksome at times. The cyberspace has a way of updating you about things that you don't want to know about. Pictures we don't want to see and people we don't want to hear from just seem to pop up on our computer monitors - adding you up on Friendster or sending automatic updates on Multiply. Last week, a classmate blogged about wanting to send notices to her college debtors online. In similar vein, it would be nice to get a restraining order against people who buzz you up on YM even when you're on invisible mode or view your Multiply site, leaving a trail with a ghastly main photo that you'd rather not view. Call me cruel but if such a restraining order is indeed possible, it should last from a period of one year 'til infinity.

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