Social media is awash with people posting photos comparing their 2009-self to a recent picture. (No, you can’t see ours.)
If we were building artificial intelligence (AI) / facial recognition software it would be incredibly useful to have a documented worldwide colleciton of photographs spaced ten years apart to learn from.
A cynic might suggest this was the reason the #10yearchallenge was created. A realist might suggest that AI companies would probably just jump on the back of it.
And maybe it doesn’t matter too much. But it’s a useful reminder to think about what you share. We occasionally still see trends to create a name using your mother’s maiden name and first pet’s name – both of which are commonly used to reset important passwords.
It’s also become popular to send off your DNA to a company who will reveal your family history.
But who are you sending it to? What will they do with it? Who might they sell it to? Do these big companies genuinely have your interests at heart or might they do pretty much anything to increase shareholder value?
Online safety is about software, technology and appropriate safety measures, but it’s also about taking a moment to pause and think. Before you share something, what might be the consequnces?