From searching to straight up stalking in seconds....

I believe the Internet was created as an expansive exchange for information. A place to learn and discover new things. A mecca of libraries and text housing information for every aspect of life! And while it is true that there are parts of the Internet that serve this purpose... a lot of it is just junk. Memes, funny pictures, gore, time wasting games.... really, really dumb stuff. This amazing tool that should have revolutionized the way we learn and exchange important information, has instead, just made being an idiot easier. I am OK with that - we did it to radio, TV, of course we were going to do it to the internet. The difference between the Internet and other information mediums is that the internet is interactive... the communication can go two or more ways... which is amazing until you think about what people will use the Internet for.

I will give you an example that happened just today. There is a barista who works in the Starbucks located in my building (well one of the 3 located in my building). This barista is SOOOOOOO adorable. There is just something... I can't put my finger on it... but I want to (crude joke, apologies). Anyway, this person was recently "recognized" by Starbucks as employee of the month... meaning first and last name prominently displayed in a little placard near the creamer and sugars. I never asked this persons name before because A) i am in a very committed and loving relationship that I would never mess up and B) even if I wasn't I am kinda shy. I just like to have little crushes, you know? But just today... oh man... name and even some interests! I thought to myself "ohhhh im just gonna plug that into my phone while I wait for my drinks".

What was I thinking? I couldn't help myself... in seconds I went from seeing this person several times a week and casually swooning to plugging their name into my phone to see what else I could find out. It was almost a reflex. A creepy reflex, that I would like to think was created by "social media".... but a reflex nonetheless. In seconds I went from sane person ordering coffee to quasi-stalker. This is not right. I, of all the people i know, also understand it is an invasion of privacy but I can not help it. Years of silent, "pretend" pining all down the drain. I was in this now. There was no going back.

First, this person had a pretty unique name, but not so unique that there were not about 6 other people who shared it. It was super easy to find exactly the right person using the image search, however. One Photo. Click. I am on their blog. I know their middle name, all of their music interests, what they like to write about, other interests that they have, who they hang out with, which neighborhood they live in... everything. In several minutes we went from barista and customer to me practically knowing everything about this persons life... all the while the barista had no idea. This person didn't know how close we had gotten. I even know the address and land line telephone number of this persons parents now. It just took a few clicks.

This is BAD. Now, lets just pretend that I am a rational and relatively sane person (forgetting how I just stalked someone while waiting for coffee)... how many people on the internet are completely insane? Have you ever spent time on 4chan or the "deep internet"? There are a lot. All of these people can essentially click a button and learn everything about you - where you hang out, who your friends are, your parents names... what can be done with that information? A lot... especially for someone who has some time on their hands... it only takes minutes in many cases but imagine what someone can learn if they have hours... or longer? Pretty scary stuff.

Oh, and barista... if you should ever read this.... I am sorry I betrayed you... but you should really lock up your online information... or not give our your name. One or the other. You're taking all the romance out of old school stalking AND your making it easier for what I can only assume is scores of other potential secret lovers to find you... and we all know your single now.