Loose lips can rarely sink ships
Why not tell everyone what model computer you use? Why not reveal your User agent? Would you share these things permanently on the web or discretely in conversation?
Why not share your phone number? Where you live? Would you want these on the web, or discretely shared for specific purposes?
Even though the first two might seem more fine, they really aren’t that different than the second pair. Hence, I don’t share any of them on my website generally and don’t have a /uses/ page anymore. But yet… I kinda share a lot more than a lot of people online generally. A lot of stuff is out there about me.
Is this really a problem? Well maybe…
Well… you are probably fine. Probably. Even if you share your phone number, maybe get some spam… even if your address is leaked, you are probably safe.. but improbably, it might be an issue of operational security. In some particular situations, what might seem neutral or controllable means of information might leave your control.
Privacy, properly understood, is an application of principles so that you retain as much control as possible within guidelines and expectations. The point is we don’t know what will be a problem in the future, so we want to retain as much control as reasonably possible.
Ive been on the web for a long time of my life, and I guess Ive learned a few things…
How I try to decide what to share: an imprecise series of questions
- Is it going to bring me any joy or happiness?
It seems simple but… what are you getting out of it? If it is not gonna potentially make you happy it is really a non-starter.
Ive at times felt it was helpful to share information about my mental health journey in life to provide a positive examples for others… but it didn’t make me very happy! so I decided to stop doing that so much. Just for a start, ask yourself, is it going to potentially make me happy.
- Is it exploitable information, or valuable to anyone else?
If something seems juicy, it could be. Keep it to yourself potentially. Stuff thats valuable to you (like concert tickets or a credit a card) probably could be valuable to others. Hold back, keep them out of photographs generally, don’t post them. A lot of this might happen by accident even, like a concert ticket in a selfie or something else, just avoid it.
- What would happen if it appeared in a newspaper?
This is the standard that most politicians operate under who keep their jobs with a few notable exceptions who seem to get away with everything. Your written words can and could boomerang back at you, regardless of the context they were originally shared. You better keep it clean if you want that kind of life… but hey we aren’t all politicians.
- Is it helpful factually for career or community building?
This is kind of why I still share information.
Sharing what we’ve learned has never been more important. - Wilto
At some point our sharing becomes part of a web, a web of knowledge and a record of what our life is like. It remains enduringly worthwhile. I don’t actually feel much more needs to be said about this, it is such a good point.
Conclusion
I still share a lot about myself and the world but I leave a little selective mystery in my life, at least whats open to the web easily. I encourage anyone to consider at least thinking more about this topic.