Technology vs. age, politics and privacy

People under the age of 30 are likely much more wired into technology than those of us who are over the age of 65 and retired. Technology moves almost too fast for me, but for someone who has been retired for five years, I am fairly "tech savvy."

There are huge generational differences between the two age groups: in our financial priorities and buying habits, our ease or familiarity with very sophisticated technology, our levels of political involvement, and our needs for privacy. I have recently joined a social network online. It remains fairly unchartered waters for me, unlike the twenty-somethings. I am charmed and fascinated by its possibilities and also aware of the increased risks to my privacy.

Some of those differences have been joined, however, in an obscure little story that caught my eye this morning. Young people have come to know what it feels like to have privacy invaded. It was headlined, "Facebook users complain of new tracking," by Anick Jesdanun and Rachel Metz, Associated Press writers, on Wed Nov 21. To quote:

Some users of the online hangout Facebook are complaining that its two-week-old marketing program is publicizing their purchases for friends to see.

Those users say they never noticed a small box that appears on a corner of their Web browsers following transactions at Fandango, Overstock and other online retailers. The box alerts users that information is about to be shared with Facebook unless they click on "No Thanks." It disappears after about 20 seconds, after which consent is assumed

Another joining between the generations is emerging as both presidential candidates and young people take advantage of FaceBook's potential in political campaigns. The Washington Post reported early this month that, "For Candidates, Web is Power and Poison." To quote,

Candidates use the Internet to generate buzz, draw grass-roots support and raise record amounts of money. But in the intense, round-the-clock world of online presidential campaigning, the good comes with the bad.

. . . Facebook, the online sociopolitical hub of the moment, is the unofficial capital of anti-Clinton country: One group, Stop Hillary Clinton, has more than half a million members, compared with the nearly 51,000 who have signed up as supporters on her Facebook profile. It's the largest group on Facebook against a candidate.

Time is money to front-running candidates such as Hillary Clinton. Her meetings have clear agendas and rarely devolve into open-ended “brainstorming” sessions. Candidates who are successful will have plenty of technically savvy folks on staff. The Google Calendar, for example, has a public calendar that incorporates the campaign schedules of all the major candidates. My calendar shows, for example, that Senator Clinton will be in Sac City and Ft. Dodge Iowa today. Incidentally, this post is not intended as free advertising for Hillary Clinton. I am waiting a long time to decide for which Democrat to vote. I merely used her story for continuity.

My world makes more sense to me when I am able to put seemingly conflicting ideas together. Today is November 24, and the threads that weave together commercial advertising, the "free," "political," and "social networking" aspects of the internet, and concerns for privacy are of immense interest to me. (I am known as the *"queen of synthesis" by one of my early readers). I often blog about security and civil liberties, the 2008 presidential campaign, and the blogosphere.

It is my conclusion, therefore, that I am a very lucky elder who wants the best for today's younger "Techies." It is my hope that, through the experience of "feeling invaded" by the website in which they have such an emotional and intellectual investment, they will more clearly understand the larger value of Constitutional privacy protections. I further hope that, as a result of our mutual areas of deeper awareness, all ages can join in greater and more responsible use of technology. It is an awesome resource for getting to know each other better, for smart buying and voting, for being a more freedom loving citizen, and for electing the best candidates for office.

*Reference from Dictionary.com/ for "synthesis:"

Information Theory -- This is the fifth level in Bloom's taxonomy and deals with the task of putting together parts to form a new whole. This might involve working with parts and putting them together in a creative new way, or using old ideas to come up with new ones.
"The translation of input requirements (including performance, function, and interface) into possible solutions (resources and techniques) satisfying those inputs. Defines a physical architecture of people, product and process solutions for logical groupings of requirements (performance, functions, and interface) and their designs for those solutions.
Thesis+Antithesis=Synthesis
The implementation of dialectic reasoning in the research and development of a solution.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)
My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.
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