Privacy
From The New Media Embed Program Fall08
According to Wikipedia, "privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively."
In a new media environment privacy can easily be invaded. Take the case of Livescribe's Pulse Pen: "a computer embedded in a pen-sized package, with audio and visual feedback, processing capabilities, and built-in memory storage for handwriting capture, audio recording and applications. Users can capture and sync audio recordings to notes handwritten on special paper and replay audio segments by tapping on what they wrote." Such technology can easily record someone unknowingly or against their will. The pen, marketed primarily to university students, could be used to record professors saying something considered "off-color" or perhaps pick up on conversations of surrounding students. The platform also offers a free, open space for uploading the notes and audio taken allowing privacy to be invaded further.
At the moment, university's have laws about privacy and recording in class but they are lax. It is speculated that the spread of this technology will change university and federal privacy laws.
