Who cares about privacy in 2014? (088, Oct 2014)

Privacy has become the new generation gap. Some don’t really care or think too much about what’s out there about them. They’ve come of age in an always online world where they know those photos from those mad nights in the Shaw or Pepper or MVP are out there along with so many other discarded digital snapshots. That’s life, that’s their life.

Smile! Photo: Michell Zappa https://www.flickr.com/photos/michellzappa/
Smile! Photo: Michell Zappa https://www.flickr.com/photos/michellzappa/

But others wonder about how much private information they are giving away and why. They stop for a nanosecond to ask yourself why does this or that company want this or that piece of private data. Irish Water want your PPS number – really? Sure, even the guards stopping you for not having a light on your bike wouldn’t ask you for that (yet). To say nothing of U2 invading our iTunes libraries like a gang of Nigerian spammers or the companies with familiar avatars making out like bandits with our private data…

Our panel look at changing perceptions about and attitudes to privacy. Are we happy about what happens to what we say, do and share online? Is it too late to do anything about what we’ve given away? What’s the effect of the erosion on privacy on our mental health? Is talking about privacy just another middle-class liberal preoccupation? Should we all just shut up and learn how to love the algorithm?

The privacy panelFiona Hyde (The Daily Edge/The Journal), Dearbhail McDonald(Associate Editor & Legal Editor The Irish Independent), Mark Smyth (senior clinical psychologist and member of Psychological Society of Ireland) and Rick O’Shea (2fm).

The small print: Banter on privacy takes place at the Twisted Pepper (Middle Abbey St., Dublin 1) on Wednesday October 8. Doors open at 6pm and the Bantering gets underway at 6.30pm sharp. Limited invite list and ticket information here.