Identity mishmash(up)

Once more, Steven from Winextra makes an interesting point on Why Web 2.0 is dangerous.

Of course, I just had to comment…

Personally I like the web and web 2.0, but I like to stay as a dog. There are few ppl in the online universe that would be able to connect the dots. You are one of them Steven, and I trust you. I trust you a lot more than any A-list asshole “influencer” you care to name.

What scares me more though is the potential for an organisation I trust, say a worthy non-profit, or a cash strapped start up that I may support, or even work for storing MY details on some web 2.0 app that they signed up for based on say a paid for mention in one of those A-list influencer’s newsletters, or more latterly blogs.

This has actually happened to me in the past, having shelled out cold hard readies for a POS shareware app, that came highly recommended by a low-life – who at the time certainly was an influencer, of them that knew no better. Imagine my horror when I found this app to be total junk, and yet the writer had never even used it for longer than it took for the cheque to clear.

But I digress, back to our poor, or maybe even (worse) a wealthy but wannabe cool organisation. What is to prevent one of the infamous spam/spyware merchant houses from setting up some seemingly cool web 2.0 app, or (worse) buying an already legitimate one for a ridiculous price and having access to all of the data that the original organisation has gathered from its members?

While ultimately the responsibility lies with the trusted organisation, the harm occurs to the individual. If you think I’m being paranoid, check it out. How many organisations have as a secretary or committee person, a member that has an interest in IT/web type stuff?

How many god-awful amateur web pages have you seen as the homepage for some club/organisation or mm & pop business?

Just yesterday I happened across a church choir blog. How many of the choir members are 100% happy about their details being posted? How many even know? What other web 2.0 apps are being used to run the organisation?
What if wordpress ever decided to sell out to say a wealthy marketing firm, or a media mogul like Rupert Murdoch?

Even if there was an uproar and all the “cool” people pulled their accounts, the money men would still have all the data they need. Then again, why buy the company, when a halfway decent web 2.0 “mashup” could harvest all the data for them anyway?

I guess this is why Time Magazine has made the collective “YOU” person of the year. We are our own biggest sell-outs.

Of course nobody really wants your info

Yeah right…

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