Taking Facebook to the Grave

It's not morbid to consider how you'll be remembered when you're dead or to whom you'll leave what. But this parceling out of our estate is more complicated than ever: who gets our virtual remains?

I know I've thought about it. More regarding my Gmail account than anything else, but the same goes for my Facebook, MySpace, PayPal, eBay accounts. If my obit be posted on my Facebook page, who's responsible for posting it? You've thought about it too, right? Maybe not quite in the same way, but you have.

It matters who knows what secrets my digital world holds. The emails I saved. The back-and-forth re-hashing of relationships with exs. The continuing conversations with those you swear you have no contact. Email expedience of secrets you promised to keep or the venting you do behind your partner's back.

The Pay Pal transfers, purchases or secret accounts. That stuff is private.

I'd feel more violated if my text messages or emails were read than if my "snail mail" were opened. For those of us under thirty emdash; hell under 40 emdash: our essential communications take place online. And if we want to preserve our reputation after death, we must take some precautions to make sure we tie up our digital loose ends.

Well, worry no more: Legacy Locker will keep your passwords safely vaulted and only release them to the person named by you, in the event of your death. The digital equivalent to a safety deposit box.

Google's Quest for World Domination

Talk about creepy, as if we didn't have enough options for staying "connected" to one another. Google's Latitude allows you to expose yourself to your contacts, via a tracking mechanism downloaded to your phone, and track your contacts' every move.

This new "tool" only further increases the anxiety I feel whenever I venture out into the schlepping masses. I want to avoid people when I go out and this device might make that easier to do, providing me the location of those I want to avoid. However, the tool relies on the presumption of mutual transparency -- you share with me and I share with you. But it can complicate my efforts if I'm avoiding you but you know where I am.

I could set my location manually, so it looks like I'm at the movies when I'm really at the dinner you weren't invited to. My boyfriend could set his location to the gym or stuck in traffic, while he's really at the bar or still at work. The idea that we can double check someone's whereabouts is complete nonsense if the location pin-pointer is completely discretionary.

What's going to happen if people begin sharing their whereabouts on Facebook or via Twitter? Could the police subpoena records of locations tracked by the device? Google still knows your "real-time" whereabouts, regardless of the location you reveal to your contacts.

I understand the advantages of this tool for Google, but I don't see the advantages for users. The only thing Google Latitude will get you is ads targeted to your location and uninvited encounters with contacts you made no plans to see.