On the map

I am currently staying on a friend’s boat in L.A. Out of curiosity, I decided to find out exactly where this is. Thanks to Google Maps, I now know that I am writing these words inside the boat at the center of the below satellite photograph:

I’m tempted to walk outside with my computer onto the deck and wave to the sky, then look at my computer to see whether little me shows up on the satellite image. Of course I know this isn’t how it works, but the illusion is intriguing.

As Moore’s Law continues its inexorable march, some day soon the technology may very support just this scenario. But if I can always get a live feed of myself wherever I am in the world, so can everyone else. Is that really something I want?

Things will ramp up even further if millions of people start wearing the descendants of Google Glass.

How will we negotiate this as a society? Will extend laws that shield privacy, or will we simply change our way of thinking about the whole topic?

Maybe simply existing in the world will come to be thought of the way we currently think of accepting an invitation to a social event: If you didn’t want people to see you, you shouldn’t have come to the party.