Narking up the wrong tree
Youtube (Google) has narked on one of its users. Less than a month after receiving a subpoena from Fox, compelling the video company to release the name of one of their registered users (id: ECOTotal), they did. ECOTotal apparently uploaded episodes of 24 that hadn't been released yet as well as several SImpsons episodes that had.
Let's leave aside the question of whether the uploader should have been punished in the first place (probably not) or at a weaker level whether Fox had the right to stop the premature viewing (they do). Where does Youtube (Google) come off rolling over that easily? Granted it's not as bad as Yahoo turning over Chinese dissidents last year, but still...
So the lesson to Generation IM, the spenders of significant amounts of their free time online is "Trust No One." Don't let the cutesy little icons for Internet companies fool you with their cartoon-like appeal and primary color design--these companies are driven by hard core businesspeople and they are no more altruistic than the Disney corporation.
Use pseudonyms. Do not link your pseudonym to a real email account. Always allow a couple of levels of indirection to your actual identity. Even if you aren't doing anything wrong...protect your privacy. Someday you may be glad you did.
Posted on February 15, 2007
