As a black man born in America I’ve never experienced privacy. Facial recognition technology for me was a birth right.  Since my childhood years in the 1960s, upon seeing a police officer I felt unsafe, not protected. In a recent New York Times article by Timothy Williams, Eric Hanson a retired firefighter in San Diego shared a similar experience with the overreach of police and his privacy. “Why are they doing this to me?” the article quotes, “They made me feel like a criminal”.  No, my brother, they made you feel like a black man.  Using facial recognition software the police sat him on a curb and “took his picture”.  It made me think, would Eric Gardner pose for that picture, would Abner Louima pose? Would Emmet Till?  In a speech given by Al Sharpton at LaGuardia’s Black Lives Matter Summit, he began by stating “48 years ago, MLK was assassinated, and we are still in many ways in the same place today.”  The loss of privacy for a black man was never on the table; for once technology is leveling the playing field.

 On the other hand Technology giants such as Facebook, Twitter and Google are taking a different spin on their loss of privacy.  “They blew it” Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook states when referring to the Government spying on his clients without their knowledge or cooperation.  The Washington Post reports that the NSA was taping into data centers, the beating heart of tech companies.  In the same article, David Drummond Chief Legal Officer for Google is quoted, “We are outraged at the lengths the Government seems to have gone!” If I were serving as council to Google and Facebook my personal lack of privacy would be my opening argument to prove the Governments breech of their privacy.  Being betrayed by the government is an all too familiar feeling for me. Where do I fit in that delicate balance?  Has the rise of technology changed the meaning of privacy for all of us? I believe it has.  It is impossible for us to have the luxury of a smartphone without giving up our privacy.  Are we as a society willing to bargain with the Government to regulate the technology boom?  It is the double edged sword of progress.  As we progress they will regulate. 

 As a college student pursuing a New Media Technology degree, I recently learned that ARPANET was the earliest network initially created by the Government that eventually became what we now call the Internet.   As technology develops in speed and efficiency we will lose more privacy that is the price we ALL pay now.  Can the laws regulating the Internet be fair?  How do you capture air? Congress, lawmakers and lobbyist for the Government whomever you would like to blame or credit for this technology, I am still in the same place I have always been, screwed! Furthermore, this year’s Presidential election proves that America is divided on all issues of privacy.  Hillary Clinton is still to deliver her emails.  Here’s is a suggestion, why don’t we let Donald Trump build a wall around the privacy of the internet, and let the Mexican’s pay for it.  The government has collected our personal data yes their spying on us; but is this really crossing the line. How can anyone trust the Government to regulate the internet and protect our privacy?  If you think it can be done fairly I have one word for you WATERGATE! America impeached the president in the hope of keeping privacy private. I say we judge them by their track record.

 We all have strong opinions about privacy and let’s not get started on our children’s opinions; who know nothing but the Internet. I say, “Everyman for himself; you watch your kids and I’ll watch mine.” Regulations on the internet are becoming so personal. I have a 3 year old that puts toys in the virtual shopping cart while playing on his tablet until technology asked for payment.  “Grandpa I can’t go any further I need your help” No Julian, you need a credit card. The only part of technology that he learned that day was e-Commerce.  I never trusted the government, so where the privacy argument is  going, I DON’T KNOW!  Feeling betrayed by the Government is a black man’s reality. You do you…boo!