Are people sharing too much on social media? Given the recent report on the IRS not only inviting themselves into your email inbox, but stalking your social media posts as well, Glenn thinks it's about time we have that conversation.
"How stupid are we to continue to post things on Facebook and continue to be as open as we are?" Glenn asked this morning. "You know, everyone on Facebook, they [Facebook] claim they own."
If public social media posts are fair game for the government, is it about time that Americans stopped sharing quite so much of their personal lives over the internet? Probably. But what will it take for the average person to stop updating their every move on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Or is that the way it is now?
From Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Foursquare, people all around the world are sharing more information, personal and otherwise, than ever before.
"It is truly amazing to me how many people will continue to give everything," Glenn said.
Glenn goes on to point out how easily all of the information we make public could be used against us.
"You're giving them every bit of information about who you are, how you think — you're giving them your entire contact list…all of your friends," he added.
The typical response from people who aren't as leary would be, "So what? I'm not doing anything wrong." But Pat points out, "Really? Because they change the definition of what's wrong and what's right a lot."
"It was totally in New York about a month ago to have a gun, and be on Prozac. It's no longer cool to have a gun and be Prozac," Glenn followed up. "How about that one?"
Glenn isn't anti-social media. In fact, both he and his business use social media frequently. However, his is a word of caution to think about what you're making public. It seems like every day another story is breaking about how some group is being added to a watch list or labeled by the government. Just this week it was released that the DHS claimed to be watching Christians. A couple of years ago the state of Missouri added Tea Party & 9/12 activists to a watch list. The majority of the groups organize and/or communicate online in some form or fashion. It wouldn't take long to find anyone associated with these groups, in fact, that's the point of some social media platforms — easy organizing and direct communication.
The issue really isn't with the American people or emerging technology. It's with growing government power and overreach.