Digital Narcissism.

When do online and cell-based “social” and personal applications go too far? When does it get to the point that we really don’t need to know what you are doing every waking moment of everyday, day in and day out?

While OED uses things like Facebook for the sake of marketing and sharing certain projects insights, it took a little time. The Facebook account was set up almost 2 years ago and never touched. Then over night the entire Facebook rush came to be. Everyone started doing it. My old profile with no information or pictures sat there and then all of the sudden, people I know started ‘tagging’ me in their pictures. I was not entirely comfortable with that. I deleted my account. I soon reinstated it, but the point is that I did not want tons of information floating around online. I could not see a reason why people had to post when they got up, when they were leaving for work, when they went to lunch, when they got home, and when they went to bed. It made no sense to me at all. In many ways, it still does not.

Since the Facebook explosion and the proliferation of handheld computing devices with phones built into them, other apps have surfaced that are along the same lines. One of them is “FourSquare”. This thing allows people to “check-in” and let everyone know where they are and what they are doing. Who. Cares. This is the ultimate self-inflicted cyber stalking tool ever. If someone ever wanted to find someone at any given time, this is how you find that self-absorbed smart-phone owner. They post that they have just gotten somewhere for dinner on a Saturday night, head that way. It is insane to use this type of thing. First off, you expose yourself to any whack-job out there, and their ranks are growing daily I am afraid. Secondly, do you really think that everyone who decided to connect with you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or whatever really cares what you are doing on a constant basis? Probably not.

I can’t help but think that many of these types of users are the type that have missed out on many of the past tech waves. They did not get involved or even know about them until after they are common knowledge and their use is rather pedestrian. They seem to become early adopters of any application that they can get their hands on to be ahead of the curve, and use the application constantly. Especially when that use has to do with contacting those people who have connected with them.

Clear your BlackBerry or Android powered smart-phone of these applications and stop it. While sharing pictures or certain things is fine, where you are for dinner every night or the fact that you are out of the house this afternoon is probably not that interesting to you, so please think of those who may be exposed to these rants of yours before you stop to get milk on the way home. We really do not care. Really.