We feel the empowering nature of presumed anonymity when we sign
online. No matter how long we've been alive or how smart we may
be, we often neglect the permanence of the data we contribute to
the internet. Young developer Will Smidlein explains the problem
concisely and poignantly: The problem with the internet is that
nothing is temporary. There's always a cache, a backup, a
screenshot, a file. And teens use the internet. And when people
use the internet, they don't always think before they act. ...
Technology abstracts us from the emotions that humans require
for every day interaction. Trust, fear, compassion, empathy. It
all goes out the window with a screen name. We easily hurt
ourselves and others when we act first and think second. It may
have once been common sense, but with personal responsibility
abstracted thanks to a series of tubes we have to take that
extra step to remember ourselves. Photo by kated (Shutterstock).