iPhone 5 Becomes Big Brother, as Social Media Mines More Information Than Ever

Walt Disney told us “It's A Small World,” but an online identity makes everyone your neighbor.

The rise of online presence has made the world a much smaller place. We openly share varying amounts of personal information in the hopes of meeting more people just like us.

Today we share more personal information than ever in history. Online dating services, social media, and blog sites capture more information about us than we ever realize. We openly and voluntarily share our life with the world.  

Location services show where we are every minute of the day. Twitter and Facebook keep us up to date on the last time you washed the car, or the chicken sandwich you just made, or the baby you just had, or the smuck you just left. 

And here's a picture of the smuck eating the sandwich in my car. Why do we think people, that we don't know, and will probably never meet need to know so much minutiae detail about our private and social lives. 

If I want to be someone else, I don't need their social security number; I need to befriend them on Facebook. If I don’t particularly like myself today, I could construct a thousand, credible aliases just from following a Twitter feed linked to a Facebook account. 

If I happen to find that they are an avid blogger, I may find more detail. The religious and political beliefs certainly will add to my credibility when I go to meet your blind date that you met on eHarmony — Christian dating for lonely hearts club. 

I remember the days when "none of your business" was a standard response to any number of questions. Remember when the rule of thumb was to never discuss politics and religion at dinner or at work. 

Now, with the blogosphere, Twitter, text, tagging world I already know what you're thinking. I know who you are dating, were dating, want to date, and will never date. We've filled out so many online surveys, applied to so many dating services, that you can't get a date. 

Hell, I already know you. We're friends, dammit more like brothers. Big brother has shown up and it’s a smartphone. Have you ever felt like you have nothing to talk about, because you were texting all day? Are you pissed at your BFF for lying to you about being at home? But Foursquare shows them at the game/show/concert (and they don’t know you are there too).

Now, on the other hand, the sharing of personal information has made the world more interesting. I'm not limited to just the people in my social setting, my church or my job. I can find people with similar or dissimilar opinions, personalities all over the world. I can have a conversation with anyone. Not talking to your spouse, no problem, I don't need you to talk to me. I have hundreds, thousands, millions of online people to choose from. I'm sure I can make a connection with one of them.