Eye Spy: We ARE under scrutiny

'They've got your number' Charles Arthur reported in last weeks Media Guardian - where every call, email, poke, prod, comment and tweet is logged regarding a source and their contact. Whilst about the context of 'investigative journalism' the article is suggestive of the much more sinister side of checks and 'safeguards' considered an OK intrusion into private lives. Both yours and mine. 'Fine' for investigative journalists and their sources(?!), but (deep breath in)...

{start of rant/} I did not intend, nor do I expect that the collaborative connections I share with others be so exposed and under such 'civil' scrutiny.

So much so, now I MUST take action to protect both myself and others linked to me. This is not the same as an update to Facebook Privacy Settings, but one step away from a serious invasion into private lives.

Should it be fair, that those who are relative slow to catch-up, be left unprotected until the day comes when they have to say 'oh no! I didn't mean to disclose that?' {/end of rant}

And Breathe.

For the past week, press columnists, bloggers, commentators and everday conversations have foamed at the mouth with righteous fury against the behaviour of Damian McBride, Gordon Brown's now very fallen Doctor of Spin. On the one hand the current Government shows initiative for innovative use of technology (DowningStreet on Twitter) as a welcome addition to various communicative channels. Suddenly things seemed more 'open', 'friendly' and 'responsive'. However, following the careless leak of emails and intended blog posts that McBride intended to use for smear of the opposition this prompts an important question - why are there no similar checks and safeguards into the lives and actions of MPs?...

I detest that such activities come out of an assumed knowledge and obsession with social media. Too often I have overheard that a lack of formal acquaintance with technology means you know less than the next person who eats code for breakfast. Comparatively, one persons day-long Facebook use is anothers once-weekly update. And anothers 'new media' is still rooted in 'old media', which could be yet anothers 'social media'. NOW is the time to think about a shared language, understanding and implementation of rules and regulations to protect all. No matter what your 'social media' outlook or preference. Even if you like MySpace (*shudder*).

Will this come 'top down' from the Government? Unlikely. Government policy cannot even cope with safeguarding their own blogs. In all liklihood these are the individuals most likely to be caught 'doing something' 'badly behaved' on the likes of Facebook.

Perhaps it is time that we followed them, as much as they intend to follow us...