Easy A and Facebook

Facebook the Panopticon

           In today’s societies it seems that any person on this planet could have greater control within your life then yourself. The amount of strangers that know about our lives today is so great, and it is very easy for them to access. This reminded me of the scene in the movie "Easy A" when a teacher was able to hear things about students from Facebook.

 They explain how generations now are dependent to tell the world every little detail; even things that could be as strange as supper options and bathroom breaks. It is almost impossible to get any privacy in today’s world. Just as the clip showed, teachers could very well gather information about students that they really should not have any business in hearing. It is privacy invasion to have such people able to access this personal information. It could cause problems and start rumours and seriously damage a person’s self esteem. This scene closely related to the idea of the panopticon as it shows how everyone can easily see much more of your life than you think. Those strangers or teachers can now have a bit of control over your life, as gossip and harassment are much greater problems today. Simple words spread around about a post seen on your Facebook wall could get out of hand if spread to the wrong people. There are many reports around the globe about young teens getting into trouble because of certain information that got leaked onto the internet. Your power is now spread amongst your friends, family and strangers who are able to connect to you through the internet. You may not be able to see them, as the idea of the panopticon states, but you have an idea that some people are watching anyways. It could be from something as small as a like on your photo. The problem is that no one really realizes just how many people see their activity on Facebook. The character from “Easy A” had no idea that her own teacher would be able to find out about personal things. No one realizes that those 2000 friends you added; probably know as much about you as your family could. Those 2000 friends you are not likely to have ever met, talked to, or know.
            It is interesting and scary to understand how power can be distributed. It is great to be able to connect with others and feel the power for yourself, but in the end the power over your own decisions and life should remain no one else’s but yours.