Davos Day 3: Internet Privacy and Reputational Repair Sites

In Davos a decade ago, I asked a Silicon Valley CEO what would be the future of privacy in the age of the internet. His reply: "Going, if not gone. Get over it." Today in a panel on "Privacy: Your Life as an Open Book," Jonathan Zittrain presented a chilling set of illustrations of how accurate that prediction now seems. Ariana Huffington wondered about the effect on spontaneity and authenticity in public life if transparency makes everyone so cautious that they use only "press-conference speak." I wondered if technology might help provide some help if there were a way to establish a reputational repair site. Suppose some future Jimmy Wales established "Clean-up.com." Just as newspapers have letters and boxes for corrections, the virtual world could provide a site where anyone who felt that a quote or picture was out of context or misrepresented, their views could say so for the record. The formula would be a wiki so that others could comment or correct as they wished, but unlike Wikipedia where you are not supposed to edit your own entry, in this case the last word would be with the person maligned. Just an idea for some public spirited soul to pick up, develop, or trash, but an example of the type of far out thoughts generated by panels in Davos.

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