With the recent news about Google and Apple coming under fire about privacy concerns, I’m guessing many of you will choose to blog about that this week – I’m intrigued to read to what you have to say!
To put a potentially slightly different spin on this conversation, I thought I’d offer this bit about “Color,” which is a smartphone app that is acts as a location-based photo –sharing service. Essentially, if you have this app on your phone, and someone else has this app on their phone, and you’re within 150 feet of each other, you can see what pictures each other is taking as you’re each taking them.
Additionally, if you take photos using Color, the photos become the property of Color and the company stores them on their servers.
Here is a link the article on CNN that describes the app:
CNN quoted the developers as saying, “"If you don't feel comfortable having that [the pictures] public, then don't use our application.”
I can definitely see how it would be creepy to be taking pictures and not know who around you is watching, but aren’t people setting themselves up for this if they use this app?
Alternately, the developers don’t come out and say, “Hey person buying this app (who could be anyone with a computer and an iTunes gift card); this could lead to some creepy circumstances, so you might want to use this with care.” Is this another one of those times in which the library needs to step up and, not use Color as a specific example per se, but try to inform the public about privacy issues? Do patrons care? Is this outside our general purview? What do you think?
I have been trying to think of a reason for anyone to actually want that app, and the only reason I can think of (other than maybe being into the idea of anonymously sharing pictures I guess) would be being able to share pictures between you and your friends while all together. I use Facebook all the time in order to easily share photos with my friends, so perhaps it is like that.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the library's involvement, I think that libraries should definitely consider educating the public about privacy with things like this. I have read many articles about Facebook privacy issues, and one of the major themes is that people who do not understand or are uninformed often leave themselves open to privacy invasions/issues. I think educational classes held by the library would be beneficial.
I can see a reason some people would want that app! At a public event, like a concert, or a historical event like Obama's inauguration or the Berlin Wall coming down - it would be amazing to be able to stream a bunch of different photos of the same event. It also could be fun in a bar, just to goof off.
ReplyDeleteNot for me though - I'm kind of a privacy freak. But I can see how it could be fun. I will convince a friend to get it! Just kidding. I think an app like this is a great opportunity for a public library with the time to have a program on privacy and information sharing. A lot of people really don't think about it that much anymore, as we have mentioned, and don't always consider the consequences.
Wow! I had not yet heard of that app! I really enjoy the GPS feature of my iPhone. True, I didn't realize it geographically pinpointed all my photos until after we came home from our honeymooon and I plugged my phone into my laptop and noticed there was a place for locations on my iPhoto and it actually showed every single place we took a picture on our honeymoon! But I thought it was so cool and amazing to have that added piece of info! I agree that being a large historical event would make this Color app useful or for sharing with friends. But I do think there should be complete transparency with these apps simply because not everyone wants that information out there. And I think a class at the library is a fantastic idea. That way you can disseminate information without forcing it on people.
ReplyDelete