Sunday, March 11, 2007

FRAPPR! Freaks me out!

This really freaks me out (OK, call me paranoid) but how does this thing work? How can it know where I am? Who else knows where I am and what I am doing on the internet? Big Brother? George W. Bush? Why is this a visual anthropology issue (you are probably asking yourself...)?



According to its web site, "Frappr! Maps give Web site owners and visitors an easy and unique way to visualize and interact with each other. Visitors can add their name, photo and message directly on a Web page embedded with Frappr! Maps, and the Web site owner gets real-time stats on where visitors are coming from and how often they visit."

Visualize! Interact! Embedded!

I suppose we should be impressed with the technology, high quality visual imagery and the opportunity/potential for open-text and collaboration. And maps are cool. But am I wrong in assuming such collaboration should be voluntary? Am I naive in assuming that some higher power didn't already know where I was and what I was doing? Be careful with what you click on the map - apparently it can access your computer's camera and microphone. Doesn't this freak you out?

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