Secrets, who cares?

My parents are concerned with privacy, my Dad riles at the fact so many companies have his name on a list and he receives mail, junk or otherwise from all directions. He thinks his privacy has been impinged and is scared of what it means to his future. Why do they know so much about me, is a typical question from his generation along with some of my friends who have similar concerns. Yet overall, the majority of people I talk to, don't care at all. Especially if we're not talking about trade secrets (think eleven herbs and spices) or financial information (think credit card theft), then generations Y and beyond, have no concern about everyone knowing everything. The social media storm that has infiltrated every corner of our lives gives great scope for snooping and I wondered if people were prepared to walk the talk and be as open as they say?

Straw polls from anyone under 35 and discussions with my nieces and nephews certainly give credence to the fact, no one cares about their secrets, in fact secrets seem blasé when anyone is online. With Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, loyalty programs, online shopping, tracking APPs, Google search et al, there are enough ways to find out information that used to be the domain of your family doctor, lawyer or Grandparents. It's not only Santa who knows if you've been naughty or nice, it's most everyone else. Yet there is no tidal wave of information flooding my emails on the secret lives of my friends and colleagues. There are no salacious accounts of wrong doings, no tattle tale accounts of secret journals with romantic details or life plans not eventuated, no reckonings of opportunities lost, past or foreboding and certainly no enlightenment or advantages to be had with any of this knowledge.

A discussion with a legal friend, lamented the "young" generation putting their employment livelihood under stress with Facebook posts that left nothing to the imagination. This is a short term legacy lament with no future, no future because the soon to be employers will be of the same generation, with the same Facebook posts, totally unconcerned. I realised after more discussions and random visits to online sites and communities what seems important to me is meaningless to others and vice versa. Past providing gossip, information important to me is most likely of no interest to anyone else, so why go to the trouble of keeping it so secret? My parents would argue, why go to the trouble of making it public?

As the social side of technology blurs into all aspects of business and life, we'll see an even more open environment regarding information once deemed private and personal and the attitudes that govern our thinking today will seem antiquated in the future. In fact it's too late to shut the gate but don't worry, I won't come snooping. You're stuff is private and it will stay that way because I honestly don't care, do you?