Privacy, Trust, and Social Change

Privacy and Trust

Let’s say you have something controversial to say.

I think Joe is a poopypants.

Maybe a bit more… impactful.

I think Joe our country’s leader is a poopypants.

Let’s keep trying

I think the narrator here is a poopypants.

Let’s also keep it civil?

I think our country’s leader dictator is a poopypants.

And how about we make it more positive-action oriented.

We should toss our poopypantsy dictator out and start a democratic government!

That’s exciting.Let’s post it on the Internet!

This will likely get you in trouble.

Ahem.

You could only tell trusted friends (but that might not go very far)

PSSSSsssst…
We should toss our dictator out and start a democratic government!

You could tell a few friends… on the Internet! (This either doesn’t go far, or gets you in trouble)

(yawn)
?

You could post anonymously to the Internet
(but who will trust you?)

We should toss our dictator out and start a democratic government!
???
Who is this guy?

…We’re not really getting anywhere here.

And this poopypants is still ruining my country.
Someone should say something…

What about using a “pen name” or pseudonym?

I could build a network around an online personality… one that would be hard to connect to my real life!

…and then?

Clarify that my country’s leader is a poopypants!

…And spark social change to improve our country, build civil society and democratic processes. All that stuff.

Sounds good.

by Jon Camfield on Aug 03, 2011