Suddenly, The Ubiquity of Privacy (ready for its closeup)

 You know that experience you get when you buy a new brand of car - one that you had never paid much attention to -  then after you buy it, suddenly you seem to notice that same car everywhere like never before? Well, maybe only because I am in the privacy business, but it seem like now, as never before has privacy in the United States has taken the center stage in so many ways - both good and bad.

From the FTC to the White House to the European Union, many new formal and considered pronouncements are coming from very serious corners of the world. No longer are only policy wonks like me entertaining other wonks in on-line forums and privacy salons (our versions of Star Wars conventions), but serious space is being dedicated to topic of 'privacy.'

No longer is the topic of privacy relegated to serious mediums like Wired magazine or the New York Times, lots of main stream publications feature some article on privacy, usually the evaporation of it, examined in detail. The Europeans have long taken the matter of privacy as a very, very serious topic, and due to its history of abuse of data we understand why. But it might be taken too seriously, some say, as the need for personal privacy  may trump, tamper and stifle the innovation and creative spark that is the foundation of any entrepreneurial society.

Naturally, the prevalence of the stories of privacy are a direct of function of the use of smartphones, tablets, social media and the general trend of more openness and sharing of data in communities and via applications. What I am not so sure of, however, is the real importance and significance of privacy to average users of technology. I have seen studies and interviews of countless average consumers, of all ages, who profess that they care deeply about their privacy - both on and offline. Yet, words rarely reflect the reality. I can on the other hand quote just as many studies of similar users who practice not what they preach in the use of that same technology. A famous survey n 2004 of British commuters revealed that more than 70% of people would reveal their computer password in exchange for a bar of chocolate; and over a third of them gave it up without even needing a bribe. And how many more endless stories do we have to read about where when a database of passwords is hacked, it's shown that most people's passwords were as simplistic as "password," "1234567" or "abc123?"

Some argue that this realty reflects a failing not of the users of technology per se, but of the technology itself. Think about how many sites that require unique usernames and passwords. Some web sites want a password no longer that 7 characters; some passwords must be only numbers and letters; some passwords must be numbers, letters and special characters; some passwords must be at least 14 characters long; some passwords must be ....ahhhhhhhhhhhh!  It is true that there is really no easy-to-use, universal way to log-in securely to any and every site you use obviating the need for 25 different passwords of varying length and complexity. So naturally, people take the path of least resistance and create accounts and passwords that are easy to remember and use those same passwords across multiple sites, putting their security and privacy at risk in the process.

It is, however, a good thing though that we are least having this conversation about privacy and the value of it. The explosion of social media, especially amongst the young and portability of technology has been the proverbial gasoline for the fire. I don't think the pyre has fully gotten to the point of a 5 alarm blaze yet, but we will get there. And soon. This will happen and has to happen before we as individuals and collectively as a country start to take the idea of our privacy as seriously as the Europeans do. In 5 years, I predict that there will be a convergence to a perfect median point from where the United States is now on privacy and where Europe is now. That sweet spot will be the inflection point where both privacy of individuals is demanded and taken seriously by companies, and where the flag of privacy is still able to wave breezily in the winds of innovation and imagination. That is when privacy will be truly ready for its close-up, and we'll actually like what we see.