Me and my shadow

I don’t often write about the negative impacts of ‘the wired world’ but I’ve recently been prompted to do so by my preparations for Christmas.  As is well known, Britain is the biggest online shopping nation in the developed world, with almost two-thirds of adults using the internet to buy goods or services.  I have followed that fine tradition by doing all my Christmas shopping on-line, and I’ve been very happy with my purchases, but what has made me less happy is the visible ‘audit trail’ that these transactions have left.  Every time I log on to a well-known electronic retailer, I am presented with pictorial information on the items I have purchased, the items I might have purchased - and the items my wife bought.  So much for surprises! 

Now, I realize that the audit trails should probably be seen as a benign and inevitable part of the on-line experience, and I’m told that there are ways to disguise buying information, but the experience got me thinking about other ways an on-line presence could easily become intrusive.  The hazards of social media are well understood but what about the prospective ‘internet of things?  Do I really want someone (or something) else to know where I go with my smartphone or what time I go to bed…? 

This is essentially a network security and surveillance problem.  I don’t have the technical expertise to suggest its resolution but I’m glad to see that better-equipped people – such as Glyn Moody – are starting to worry about the same issue.  I wonder if he could advise on Santa’s Dilemma…?