Speaking with generation v.next about technology laws and concerns
I am pretty nerdy and I’m ok with that. I love my job, working in technology. I am fascinated by the law. I think it’s vital to be involved in the next generation and I totally respect the opinions and ideas of our teens. So today I was the guest speaker in the Business Law class at Pine Creek High School. I came armed with some notes and a couple dozen doughnuts and I loved it.
One of the reasons the opinions of teens matters when we talk about technology laws (and behaviors) is that they are true digital natives, all they have known is a technology fueled world. If you remember getting your first microwave or Atari; if you had a rotary phone or heck even corded phone in your house then you are biased and have blocks in your way of thinking. No matter how open-minded you may think you are, you are not a digital native, but they are. A whole classroom full of them, full of doughnuts and ready to talk!
Some random-ish highlights:
At the beginning of class I asked them how many had read a terms of service or privacy policy that they had agreed to, and the only hand raised was my daughter (woohoo). After we talked I asked how many WOULD read at least one and just over half the room said that they would.
Privacy- they assume they have none. To a point. To them this means that their location from their phone is known to many, but not sure how many layers deep it does or should go and how much information is carried. They expect ad-supported free phone apps, and understood the connection of profiling to the consumer based on some of the date that is collected to define the consumer. They were appalled when we talked about some components of common agreements that give wide legal access to your data, all your data, on the computer you are using to access a service. But again, they don’t read agreements, in part because they feel they can’t change them or negotiate the terms so what’s the point.
They want a set of common standard agreements that apply to all mobile and online services, so they only have to read them once to know what they say. An app should state we use standard user agreement #2 and privacy policy #4 type thing. They think a plain English (or language of your choice) summarized version should be presented directly (at the checkbox/button action screen) with a link to a full legalese version. This would need massive industry adoption. With the costs of this being potentially huge, what is the likelihood of companies (hardware, software and service providers) jumping in and volunteering to start this, on their dime? We also discussed the problem with Congress trying to own this and the disaster it would become. The laws we have that protect people, privacy etc. would still apply and should stay technology agnostic.
We discussed stalkers and how it’s their behavior that is illegal, not the technology they use.
One student had called 911 and was found because of her phone’s location and they all thought this was a good thing.
We clarified the implied right to privacy under the 4th Amendment and that it guarantees you protection from an invasion of your privacy by the government, but not your neighbor. That was a big one, a good discussion. The clarification that the Constitution regulates more the government’s behavior than that of its citizens.
Overall I am glad I went and enjoyed this conversation with them.
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