Google Me

Lately, I have read some articles about privacy on the internet. From time to time, I google my name and look at the surface of the information about me that is “out there”. Fact number one: The information is there to stay. Fact number two: Certain websites pass every byte directly to Google without telling me so. I thought I signed up for a network, a community. I find out that I left my name and messages for everyone to read, members and non-members alike. This is not bad. I just have to be aware. Outside the internet, I observe that certain contexts follow agreements about how much information I announce “up front” to the public. In certain towns, people up beautifully decorated name plates on their front lawn. You can read them as you drive by. The Mexican in me shivers at this site and considers this “not safe”. At some events, I am asked to wear a name tag. I notice that I look at people’s names before I say hello, and I also notice that I “interpret” the name. “John Doe” rings a different bell than “Fulanito de Tal” or “Peter Müller”. Again, there is nothing wrong with that. And it makes a difference to be aware.