People have very different attitudes to privacy, don’t they?
Some take elaborate measures to avoid being subject to the slightest scrutiny,
others couldn’t care less how much attention they attract.
Its common in Northern Ireland for people to keep their window
blinds down permanently so nobody can see into their house. They also like huge
hedges for the same reason. We had some old window blinds removed because we
don’t care if people look into our windows. What harm is it going to do?
As for personal privacy, both Jenny and I prefer to use the
bathroom in private without the other barging in. I know a lot of couples are
quite happy to be intruded on but we’re not one of them.
There’s a lot of fuss about websites that harvest our
personal data, but personally I can’t see what the problem is. I’m sure
hundreds of websites have my personal data but so what? What interest can
anyone possibly have in my utterly humdrum existence? It would be different if
I had loads of pornography or bomb-making guides.
People can get a bit paranoid about privacy for no good
reason.
Well, with the data stuff you'll get targeted advertising, and it all gets a bit creepy as these cookies follow you around the web!! And all this data can be sold on to people who might just target you for nefarious reasons. Some people get scammed by people claiming to be from Amazon, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for the blinds - you're more likely to be burgled without them - as told to me by a policeman when my neighbour was burgled way back in the 90s. We had blinds, our neighbours didn't.
I hope this helps.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: I get attempted scams all the time but I doubt they're inspired by my blog. And neither us or our neighbours have been burgled since we moved into this house 17 years ago! Our lack of window blinds clearly isn't an incentive.
DeleteI have tracking blockers, through Safari and a web security program. I try to stop the bad guys the best I can. None of the windows are covered in my living area, but I live in a rural area, the house is set way back from the road and the property is full of trees. When I lived in the city I had window coverings but they were open during the day. We are fortunate to each have our own bathroom which makes for a happy wife.
ReplyDeleteSandra: As I said to Ms Scarlet, we haven't been burgled in 17 years. I imagine as soon as a potential burglar sees our 12 year old Renault Clio they will assume we've nothing very valuable inside the house.
DeleteI'm sure Jenny would love to have her own bathroom!
We always found it odd when we'd drive by our previous house and see the window shades down in the middle of the day. We installed them and they are room darkening, so it must be like night in there all day long.
ReplyDeleteI don't worry too much about window coverings unless it's nighttime and we have lights on inside. As far as data, it's a lost cause at this point, but I do try to block things as much as possible.
Bijoux: As you say, window blinds midday must mean very dark rooms. And you're right, data protection is a losing battle, data is being collected here there and everywhere.
DeleteI compromise: My second story flat is over a parking lot, with buildings far away, so I feel all right with my hanging vertical blinds pulled back to only a yard of plate glass showing, a plate mostly blocked by a standing mirror. Someone could see my bare body only if they patiently aimed a telescope at the gaps. The non-shy lady who previously had the flat told me she was similarly unconcerned. Life's too short to be paranoid.
ReplyDeleteAnon: Indeed, life's too short to be paranoid. And too short to obsess about people possibly invading your privacy.
DeleteWe have huge windows in our living room. No blinds. We live across the street from a nature preserve so we don't feel the need to keep out anything. I'm sure living on the 4th floor helps. If we lived on the ground floor with the parking lot right outside, I'm sure we have some sort of window covering. Although, we previously had sheers to make it harder to see in without making it hard to see out.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: You must have plenty of privacy on the 4th floor. I had to look up sheer blinds. I guess they're similar to what we call net curtains.
DeleteI keep my curtains open during the day as does a lot of people around here. My apartment building faces the apartment building across from me so if we all have our curtains open, we can all see each other. No one seems to care.
ReplyDeleteMary: After all, what are you going to be doing that would be embarrassing if someone happened to see in your window? Sniffing your armpits?
DeleteAs you may know from my blog posts, Nick, we live in a a former mill converted to apts. we’re on the top floor (5th) facing a river and while there are pull down blinds on the windows, we have never pulled then down or even dusted them in over 10 years here. So lack of privacy isn’t an issue for us. As far as online privacy loss, we try to be as careful as possible and avoid scams and spam. But, as you noted, many websites undoubtedly have data on so many of us.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: We also hadn't dusted our blinds in many years, so we got them removed. It's made absolutely no difference to us.
DeleteNick, I agree with you on everything, including the bathroom...I like my privacy there :))
ReplyDeleteA hot or hellishly hot greeting from my Slovenia, exactly from Ljubljana to Ireland...Andreja!
Modrina: I see your temperature has reached 34C. I would find that unbearable. Sorry I can't respond to your blog as I don't speak your language!
DeleteAndreja has the translate widget top right on her blog, nick.
DeleteAnon: Thank you for that. I've managed to translate her blog post, but now I'll look for the widget!
DeleteAnon: I tried the translation widget first of all but it doesn't include Slovenian!
DeleteNick, choose English
DeleteI’m the anonymous.
DeleteAh, I didn't realise I had to select my own language rather than the original language!
ReplyDeleteI haven't gone to any lengths to ensure privacy online of in life but I did stop using my Woolworths Rewards care when I realised they are data mining through the scheme.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that i care if they know what I buy because I don't. I just don't like the idea that they can watch our habits and target us. It may just be marketing but I just think there should be an end to these things