In my last entry I recalled that I hadn’t written many letters via longhand in quite a long time. I used to write out my papers for graduate school before using the computer, but that changed when I found myself having to write more than one 20 page paper at a time. As a result, today, most of my “letter writing” takes place via my computer.
But this got me thinking about my attendance at a computer forensics conference at Kennesaw State University a few years ago. I recall attending a very interesting session led by a representative from Paraben Corporation who was giving a dynamic lesson about cell phone forensics…I mean, very interesting. It was fascinating in light of how much information can be obtained via our cell phones these days. Nevertheless, when asked what electronic device she used for her written communication, she held up a pencil and paper. In other words, here’s a brilliant woman who knows a heck of a lot about electronic communications but who chooses to use a pencil and paper when she has something important to write. Hmmm… While she’s a forensics examiner, she was clear that she’s very concerned about how our electronic communications can be obtained. I’ll bet the former Detroit Mayor and his ilk wish they had talked to her before writing all those text messages – but I digress.
So, is she paranoid? Well, interestingly enough, and as you probably know, we all have amassed a rather impressive electronic footprint in our digital world. From the use of credit and debit cards (on and offline), cell phones, email, texts, controls in our cars, and of course, our computers, we leave a trace of our activities every single day. And thanks to Google, you can no longer hide. If you’re part of the global information infrastructure that can probably safely be referred to as the Matrix, you can be found, even if you don’t want to be. I remember reading in the book The Numerati that in one month Yahoo amasses about 110 billion pieces of data about its customers, which translates into each person leaving about 2,520 bits of information for Yahoo’s advertisers. Whoa! No wonder you can’t hide online.
While I can certainly appreciate today’s technology, I do remember the days when there was a semblance of privacy by using a simple pen and paper…and a typewriter every now and then. But oh well…unless we’re sent back to the “dark ages” via an asteroid, comet or some E-bomb, (my apologies, but I’ve been watching the History Channel’s Armageddon Week) looks like I, along with the wired world community, will continue to enlarge my electronic footprint via my good ole’ Dell.
