[LINK] [PRIVACY] SMH: 'Social media exploitation is gravest risk'

Jan Whitaker jwhit at janwhitaker.com
Mon Mar 5 10:04:56 AEDT 2012


At 09:44 AM 5/03/2012, Roger Clarke wrote:

>We only need the determination now to uncover the depth of their 
>exploitation and to enforce our existing legal rights.

Good letter, Stephen.
Problem: 'we' have no ability to enforce anything. The current law 
doesn't allow us to. That is the shame of the situation. And as long 
as those with the power (various commissioners) continue to avoid 
enforcement, we are sheep led to the slaughter. Our only protection 
is to 'not play' or play as little as possible and only when we can't 
get the result in alternative ways.

As I said privately to a member after my posting about privacy 
etiquette, we are also in a bind if we don't participate in social 
media. We have no way to know what is said about us to others. I 
guess that is no different from not knowing what is said in private 
spoken gossip or private email groups, either, but given the reach of 
these new systems, we have no means to find out what is being said in 
those forums unless we take on the risk of participation.

So what is a person to do? The best I see is to get involved in 
groups like the various civil society groups and continue to press 
and press on those who are governing our society to do the right 
thing for all of us, not just those in the power seats. The 
Parliament should hold the commissioners accountable for enforcement 
of the weak law we have. The Parliament should be acting on the 4 
YEAR old ALRC report to implement the recommendations, including a 
right of action (so we CAN enforce our rights). So far: zilch.

Jan



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

_ __________________ _



More information about the Link mailing list