Ask HN: Do you think this is where things are headed?

[terrykohla]

I was talking to a friend on Google Hangout the other day and it came to my mind the idea that if our conversation was being recorded, it could be used in the future for multiple purposes.

1st purpose could be entertainment. Imagine some kind of reality TV show in the future where "interesting" footage from private online video conferences would be broadcast on TV/internet to entertain people, laugh at others. I'm talking in the future when may be we'll all be dead or old or when people would sign non-disclosure agreements we haven't signed today.

2nd purpose: It could also be used for sociological and psychological research. Imagine all the data gathered from people's most private and personal conversations!

Do you think this is where things are going?

Are we the guinea pigs of the future of our species?

I thought you'd be the right crowd to brainstorm about this.

[benologist]

#1 You can see this in movies and music - except for outliers entertainment belongs to and fades/dies with generations. Aside from tastes changing the constant production of new material pretty much guarantees virtually nobody is going to find the minutiae of our lives more fascinating that whatever is happening within theirs.

#2 This is already done for commercial interests, eg ads in gmail, sentiment analysis on twitter, etc.

Everyone is the guinea pig of the future of our species right up until we are extinct.

[stray]

Perhaps after the Ministry of Privacy has finished with it.