Hey all – so here’s my book review. It was a bit of a challenge (seeing as I haven’t done a writing composition since 1st year english), as I am used to writing very dry (not so fun) microbiology lab reports. Hope you enjoy the read. 🙂

I know it is going to sound super cheesy but I am going to write  it anyway’s because I believe that it accurately describes the way, not only society, but technology should be viewed. It is this: To quote Peter Parker’s uncle “With great power comes great responsibility”³.  After reading the novel “Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age” by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger, more than ever I was convinced that in today’s increasingly technology reliant society, we are seeing the decline of personal privacy and therefore loss of power and loss of responsibility.

In my opinion this novel delves into the idea, that with the advances of technology, forgetting is truly obsolete. The author then further examines the consequences of having all of our information both stored and shared digitally. He gives examples of those who have suffered from the notion that we have arrested the ability to forget, and instead have replaced this with a flawless memory. The first part of the book describes different forms of memory including, human, external, language-aiding, and also visual mediums (photography, video). He then looks at how, thanks to technologies like: digitization, inexpensive digital storage, the ability to retrieve this information with a click of the mouse, and how easy it is to connect globally, we are losing the ability to forget. This is leading to more influence for those who have the access to the most information, and as a result suspending the notion of time, as memory has the ability to obstruct the ebb and flow of change. Finally, the book discusses ways to combat our perfect recall and re-gain control of our own information.

For myself, perhaps the most compelling concept in the novel, was the author’s thoughts on the relation between information and the loss of privacy. With the advancements in the digitization and the increased ease, with which information (no matter how personal) can be retrieved, we are seeing a reduction in personal privacy and a loss of individual power and control of what is shared with the rest of the world. I think my idea is further solidified by the books thoughts that “information can be accessed, and for different reasons, by others…[and] people have to be more careful in how they talk, how they interact and what they offer of themselves to others.”¹ Today, because technology is so easy to use, and therefore misuse, we fail to recognize the consequences of say tweeting a racey comment, or posting a not-so appropriate photo of ourselves. Perhaps that comment may prevent you from getting a future job. Another consideration is that once we post something it is forever in cyberspace, but it is now accessible to everyone and anyone, whether this was our intention or not. In an interview Cyberliberatarian (is that even a word?!) John Perry Barlow, discusses the decline of secrecy in today’s world². He states that “the internet amplifies power in all respects. It can grossly exaggerate the power of the individual.”² He also goes on to say that companies like Google and Amazon hold a lot of control over our information, in the sense that they can constrain your ability to access your own information, remove your data if they wish and watch over everything you do². It’s hard to fathom the complete loss of control and therefore power, we have over our own information. I believe it is something that we have all experienced at one time over another, myself included. A prime example are those advertisements that have been tailored to your previous web searches, and can be seen on the side of your Facebook page. Talk about invasion of privacy! I don’t want these huge internet entities to remind me/know about what I had previously looked up. So what if I went to a weight management site one time, I really don’t want to see advertisements encouraging me to try this weight loss pill or buy this amazing fat burning machine. Although, maybe others would disagree with this. Perhaps they enjoy the personalized recommendations. Nonetheless, it is an invasion of privacy, that I did not authorize.

It is mind boggling at how little control we have over our own information, and who can access it and the fact that nothing is ever really ‘gone’ in cyberspace. All a result of living in a digital age I guess. It kind of makes one want to chuck your cell phone out the window, smash your computer, and buy a cabin in the woods. Or maybe thats a bit too rash… I did just get the new Iphone after all. I’m going to finish with a quote: “Just because something is publicly accessible does not mean that people want it to be publicized.”⁴