http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2008/03/04/property-shark-and-contextual-integrity-where-real-estate-obsession-and-privacy-academia-intersect/ The Common Data Project Blog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:38:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2008/03/04/property-shark-and-contextual-integrity-where-real-estate-obsession-and-privacy-academia-intersect/#comment-5724 Grace Meng Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:34:37 +0000 http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2008/03/04/property-shark-and-contextual-integrity-where-real-estate-obsession-and-privacy-academia-intersect/#comment-5724 I agree completely; democracy depends on open, accessible information. I just think that as we move forward as a society in using new technology to make information more accessible, we do risk a backlash from people who worry about their privacy. I'd like to see a more nuanced public dialogue when we just shout for more privacy, and it might be easier if we can identify what makes people uncomfortable and explore ways that we can deal with that while still preserving the openness of information that's good for society. I agree completely; democracy depends on open, accessible information. I just think that as we move forward as a society in using new technology to make information more accessible, we do risk a backlash from people who worry about their privacy. I’d like to see a more nuanced public dialogue when we just shout for more privacy, and it might be easier if we can identify what makes people uncomfortable and explore ways that we can deal with that while still preserving the openness of information that’s good for society.

]]> http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2008/03/04/property-shark-and-contextual-integrity-where-real-estate-obsession-and-privacy-academia-intersect/#comment-5678 Ian Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:23:04 +0000 http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2008/03/04/property-shark-and-contextual-integrity-where-real-estate-obsession-and-privacy-academia-intersect/#comment-5678 The thing is, a few people had a lot of this information and kept it in tightly guarded in the past, making you rely on your broker, their broker, an appraiser, lawyers, lenders who each had a piece of the puzzle, but the masses didnt have this information to make an informed decision about their real estate purchase. Now they can run their own comps, see what the last price paid was, view permits and violations filed on the property, whether its near a toxic site and more on places like Propertyshark.com or even zillow for some of this, making what is probably the biggest investment most people make into an informed one. This is the democratization of information transparency. The thing is, a few people had a lot of this information and kept it in tightly guarded in the past, making you rely on your broker, their broker, an appraiser, lawyers, lenders who each had a piece of the puzzle, but the masses didnt have this information to make an informed decision about their real estate purchase. Now they can run their own comps, see what the last price paid was, view permits and violations filed on the property, whether its near a toxic site and more on places like Propertyshark.com or even zillow for some of this, making what is probably the biggest investment most people make into an informed one. This is the democratization of information transparency.

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