On one hand, we can appeal to reason and ask for forgiveness for youthful transgressions. We all make mistakes. On the other, we can erase our pasts, censor our postings, or form a culture where "Big Brother" is watching. There are pros and cons to both paths, which I think was highlighted well in the NY Times Magazine article, "The Web Means the End of Forgetting" : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/magazine/25privacy-t2.html
I think the whole issue of user privacy and social context is about to heat up, especially with all of the legal, social, and moral implications it entails. Young professionals are losing jobs over what they post, couples use Facebook as leverage in about 40% of divorces, and no matter what any one says, no email is 100% safe. Believe me, this article only scrapes the surface of the issue.
My full thoughts can actually be found on my blog in two posts: http://mandyboyle.com/2010/07/being-on-feeling-comfortable-and-passing-judgment/
http://mandyboyle.com/2010/08/privacy-and-reputation-well-have-to-wait-and-see/
You don't have to read either post, but if you are curious on what I have to say, I'd appreciate it
Any other thoughts on the issue?
