Blog FeedGoogle for Stalkers
Well it was bound to happen. I guess. Now there is a combination of the best of the internet with one of the worst (in my opinion). Hot or Not meets Google in a zip code sprawling picture-fest. Using the brilliant Google Maps’ code someone has rigged markers to appear on each zip code with Hot or Not members in it. You can then cycle through their pictures and click them to get to their Hot or Not website profile.
To me, Hot or Not is one of those internet wastelands like 50% of Deviant Art and 100% of sites like “Rate my Rack.com”. On top of my general distaste for Hot or Not there is a bit of a creepy side to the whole project. The site is not part of Google or Hot or Not. It is something made by Frozen Bear Industries. If one makes a profile on Hot or Not are they informed that their face will pop up on another site, hovering right over where they live? Not exactly. But for those who actually read the Terms and Conditions (read: nobody) there is this:
Accordingly, by submitting your photograph and/or any personal information, you thereby waive any privacy expectations you have with respect to our use of your likeness or personal information provided to us.
Goody goody. I may just read terms more often.
23rd July | Reply
Well, these things are always bound to happen. I mean, I’m sure everyone was very impressed when images and then movies could be transferred over the internet. Now I’d say a good proportion of those files are just porn, which in my opinion rates as yet another section of the internet that is more or less a wasteland (and an awfully big one at that).
Then you have email, to which we all know what happened once the spammers got hold of the place.
Blog comments? We’ve seen them abused too. Hell, we’ve even seen completely fake blogs that are set up to abuse the Google ranking system.
It’s a trend that will never stop. Ever. The internet will always give opportunities to the less morally inclined people of thw world.
23rd July | Reply
Although oddly enough some of our less… admirable industries push technology faster than the mainstream. Internet security for credit card purchases was pretty much porn out of the internet porn industry. With the latest purchases i’ve made via amazon.com I feel extra secure (even more measures have been taken to assure you are the one using your card).
However, it is not to say that online credit card security is the result of porn. I am sure it would have come about anyway. As long as someone could make a buck.
26th July | Reply
Interesting… *Goes look for someone to stalk around here*