Where is I?

Change is inevitable. Consistency is the fragmentation of inconsistency. All that matters is how we shape the progression. Our changing  perception about a division between private and public is no longer a surprise. The services offered by social networking sites confirm our willingness to redesign the boundary between private and public. Having read ‘Networks blur the private and public divide’ on the BBC news, discussing and highlighting some of the potential issues that could occur with the location-dependent tools and services.

I used to think that the boundary was becoming blurred. However, I now perceive the emerging phenomenon as ‘redesigning’ the boundary between private and public. ‘Blurring’, to some extent connotes the existence of phenomenon outside of our situated actions. We all know what it means to use Twitter and announce our whereabouts. We seem to choose to make such announcements in exchange with various personal preferences. I am certainly concerned about the number of assumptions the service providers are making in provision of their services and tools e.g. Google’s Buzz. However, is it not the case that we choose to reveal our own details of our lives online and in posting work related information with an intention to share with others? If I decide to use a location-dependent tool, should I not know the implications of it? In the same way we know the implications for having a credit card pin number with the card in the wallet? We know all the implications of the connections.

I would like to think that we are all capable of rejecting something that does not meet our needs. If someone revealed confidential information on a social networking site, it was because the decision made by that person. It wasn’t forced upon the person to use the medium that allows such information to be available to all. However, we tend to think that it is the service providers who need to be pressured and restrained. Perhaps we are looking for a cause in a wrong place. Where is I in all this?