Online Privacy? What About Offline-Online Privacy?

One of the big topics in the tech sphere of blogging as of late has been privacy. Most of the discussion has revolved around Facebook and how their changed privacy policy allows them to hit the ATM machine more often.

But what about our offline privacy? And what I really mean is when people take media of us from offline and move it online – what happens to our human privacy?

On the show 24 last week, super secret agent Chloe was able to track down a bad guy by tapping into the cameras on the streets and even was able to follow the bad guy, zoom way in, etc. We know cameras by police and other law enforcement groups are everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you are in Times Square, London or a small town in the midwest, chances are cameras are watching your every move. iPhone cameras in Japan are required to beep when taking a photo to prevent upskirt shots.

Last week the Daily News profiled Pete Malachowsky – a guy who rides the N train in NYC like so many others. Malachowskycreated the N Train Gossip Twitter account to highlight his finds – the people who make riding the subway here so much fun. I’ve highlighted a couple of photos below. He adds a bit of snark with each photo. What’s amazing is how close he gets to some of the people he photographs. And now his readers are submitting photos of their own.

From the Daily News, “I don’t just see an innocent person on the train and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to make fun of them,’” he said. “Consider yourself safe if you’re a considerate person.”

Apparently another group has been setup just to be on the lookout for Malachowsky.

I’ve posted several “douche” photos that I’ve snapped on our sister site InsideTransit. My favorite is the woman who sat across from me on the Acela and decided she needed to put her meds and other goodies on the table followed by taking her temperature right next to me. Once she started coughing I decided I needed to move.

First Amendment lawyer and Columbia professor David Schulz said it’s all legal.

As the quality photos and videos a cellphone can take rises, be prepared for even more sites similar to the one Malachowsky has created.