Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Right to Self-Determination...Delete

Your life is always on public record. A photo you took 30 years ago with an organization or a person you don't even remember is now available on the Internet. You can't delete it, because you didn't upload it. Things you just want to forget (not necessarily a bad action, but just an action) will always follow you. You want to move into a new future, to progress forward, but your non-deleted Internetted past drags you back.

 Everyone should have the Right to Delete
from the Internet database
any item that has their name on it
or remove their name from it.

Exception.
Government records should remain undeleted,
which include criminal records,
since everyone has the Right to Government Transparency;
anyone with a criminal past will be forever
haunted by their Internet criminal data.
Maybe, this could function as a huge deterrent to crime.

Medical and financial records should be private by law.

An example.

Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1957:
 Dollree Mapp was arrested
for possession of obscene material found in an old trunk in her basement.
The evidence was taken with no search warrant,
a violation of her 4th Amendment right.
This went to the Supreme Court
(Mapp vs. Ohio, 1961, expands this right to state law), 
but her police mug shot  is
forever on the Internet
in various versions.

However, what about Dollree's legacy,
her descendents, her children, her grandchildren?
(She had a daughter living with her during the 1957 search.)

This blog posting becomes, once again, another site of her non-deletion.

Have you googled your name?


43 comments:

michelle said...

Everyone should have the right to delete. If I ever decide to give in and get married, and my husband wants to search through my past, with my permission ofcourse, he would find a very interesting wife. your past is your past and if you have made mistakes in your past, then good for you. It means you are simply human. the only reason why people are still paying for past mistakes is because they decide to bring it to the present. leave your past behind. if you decide to drag your past along its your fault. & If you drag garbage around for too long, it starts to smell. The smell will take longer to get rid of, even after its gone.

I have googled myself. its so depressing!

Janet Almonte said...

Unfortunately, I do not agree with the right to delete information. We all have to understand that there are consequences for our actions in life. The right that we should uphold is to have access to all information so that we are aware of the negative and positive actions that everyone takes. This can help us to each be aware of what possible future determinations a person might take. I have a favorite quote by Albert Ellis a famous behaviorist, “A future predictor of a persons’ actions is their past ones.”
Janet

Anonymous said...

I agree with Janet. Unless we are so wrongly accused of something then information should be retracted but who is honestly going to go through all that work? The government certainly doesn't care enough therefore its not a right-yet. People do think to think about consequences and thats simple.

surfershoes

Espy said...

I will also agree with Janet. What if you were a woman who murdered or stole from past boyfriends or husbands? I would definitely want to be able to have access to the things she's done in the past! Now if it's something someone is wrongly accused of, then they should have the right to delete it forever.

RhWim said...

It would be nice if everyone had the right to delete things that are uploaded onto the internet involving their names or photos, but unfortunately that is not so. Just as you do not have the right to change your credit records. The internet was a great creation, however, it is being exploited far too much. It is misued and abused for harmful reasons. I have a facebook page but barely ever visit the site. I wonder what's going on with it.

cd884 said...

I agree with Janet I do not agree with the right to delete. Our past is our past and what is done is done. You cannot regret anything in life that has already been done. In Dollree Mapp's case her rights were violated but she should have not let that get her down nor her family. Those who say they care about you will not judge you by your past but how you fixed it and how you are living the now and the future.

TrustMeImADoctor said...

Deleting the past just helps that event occur again. If we all forgot about 911 would we be as cautious in airport security as we are today? If we forgot, that blaming a certain religious sect for the misfortunes of an entire country caused unnecessary genocide and countless numbers of innocent deaths, would this event occur again? By forgetting the past you forget to worry.

Anonymous said...

I do agree with the right to delete. People make mistakes that they want to forget about. People do change and I do believe in second chances. We should not be flaunting someone's past as public knowledge. We need to leave the past where it belongs, in the past.

Anonymous said...

we have the right to forget, if we have the right to forget, we should have the right to delete. we delete to earse memories, and those memories become trapped.

f.c.

Fernanda A said...

If we can't delete what we've done, why should we have to delete what's on the web? The past is the past and it defines your future. You shouldn't erase it.

Luz Mery said...

I have never researched my name and that may be something interesting to do. In regards to having the right to Delete, I am undecided. I am all for the right because one should be able to delete ugly comments or photo that are put on the internet of you. But mug shots of criminals should always be kept their so we can always know their wereabouts.

Esmeralda A said...

I believe that everyone has the right to delete. The past may bring problems in the end. I believe that peoples's past can haunt them down and eventhough people do change, someone some where may have something that can bring up the past. Everyone should have the right to delete something that they don't want to be published.EA

Anonymous said...

I feel if one has committed a crime it deserves to be information that is accessible to everyone. I mean I want to know if there is a pedophile living in my neighborhood. People do make mistakes but big ones everyone should have the right to that information. It seems to be helpful now a days, for example, lets say you are considering dating someone what’s wrong with doing a bit of information search re: that particular person? People find it hard to be honest so it has all lead to this. Thank God for the Internet!

Ann Marie

Ingrid J. said...

I am undecided about this one because I believe that people do make mistakes, and everyone deserves a second chance, but, on the other hand if a crime was committed it deserves to be known by everyone. After all there are consequences for everything we do.

Anonymous said...

I think this right goes hand-in-hand with the right to privacy. We all have the right to keep to ourselves certain information that we don't want to share with the world.
--Rosa F.

Anonymous said...

I would not vote for this right. The fact of the matter is if you are doing something or are in possesion of something that you should not have, if caught you will have to face the consequences. Granted we all make mistakes because we are human. That should not be used as an excuse for our actions. We all know the difference between right and wrong and if you don't, take the safe choice and walk the other way.

Eddie M.

Mirror said...

I think we should have the right to delete. Everybody make mistakes. Keeping those mistakes in a public web can block their progress. If a person makes a mistake, they have to pay the penalty, once it is pay, it is done, deleted.
Aimara Ors

Anonymous said...

If it wasn’t for the past, there wouldn’t be a present. We all have a past and it is part of who we are, good or bad. We are accountable for our actions. If someone deletes their past, deletes part of who they really are. GS

Unknown said...

Depending on what information you are deleting, starting on a new slate might be difficult with a past action lingering with you. Dollree Mapp’s mug shots are a click away; available to everyone to see. Those mug shots might live in the web forever; violating Mapp’s right to privacy. Everyone wants a second chance to redeem themselves, and that is why the right to delete should be available.

Anonymous said...

I agree that after a certain period of time passes the information should be deleted depending on the circumstances. I believe though that sex offender information, for example, should be available to the public. When it comes to my family's safety and well being, I could care less about your privacy or the way you feel about your information being public.

Anonymous said...

I agree with this right, the actions that get us into trouble with the law are sometimes childish and minute. When others see this on the internet, the information can be misleading. Everyone should have this right, not just from the standpoint where you are trying to expunging your record but because privacy is a right that everyone should have. Gary Norris

Anonymous said...

Everyone makes mistakes and as stated before information viewed over the internet can be misunderstood, but should a charged pedophile teacher be allowed to expunge his record? This is a debatable subject.
-ND-

kevin0121 said...

Many should have the right to delete their data from the internet. Now, if your a criminal you should go to court and let the judge decide if it is okay to delete all your data from the internet.

Anonymous said...

I do agree with this right. I believe that we should have the right to delete personal things that we dont want others to see. Like some of you said the past is the past. Some people don't want other people to see their past. If I did something wrong and I paid the consequence then I wouldn't want other people to see what I did. I believe in second chances.

Francisco A

Anonymous said...

Wow - I had not Googled myself before now. I am a private person and found it frustrating to have so much information about me out there. A site called US Search had cities I've lived in, names of relatives, my maiden name and so on. I definitely believe we should have the right to delete information not sanctioned by us (unless it is government information or criminal record information). Just like the "Do not call list" there should be a do not post list.
Gabe

Anonymous said...

I believe that we should all have the right to deletion. We all commit mistakes and do things that we later go on to regret, but I do not think that we should be forever haunted by them. Anyone can make a mistake when they were younger and then regret it when they grow older; just because we thought one way or did something in the past does not meant that this is who we are today. We all have the right to a second opportunity, and deletion is that second opportunity.
-D.Diaz

Anonymous said...

I believe in the right to delete. I also believe that people do change. Forgive and forget unless it is a serious crime that has been committed. E.S.

Pedro said...

I believe the Right to Delete is for people who have been wrongfully accused of crimes. When an arrest is dismissed in court there is no reason for it to be on the internet. P.L

Terrance Carter said...

Whoa! Is this fair and/or politically correct? The government has a way of doing whatever they feel and dragging along everyone else. This right to deletion is highly supported by this writer if no crime was commited.

Anonymous said...

The Right to Deletion is extremely important. I believe that everyone should have the right to delete something from the internet that is haunting them. If it belongs to you and you chose not to have anyone see it, why should it remain public? Of course, everything in limitations, like the philosopher said, criminal records should be made public but what about a photograph or even your contact information on the White Pages. I’ve googled myself and all my contact information is available to the public that is insane. I’ve never given anyone the right to post my information, so why is it made public. Everyone should have the right to deletion; if we chose not to make something public than it shouldn’t be public. This is why we live in a free country!
MelB

Anonymous said...

I think that if I don't want everybody to know my personal information, then I should have the right to deleted,they are violating my right to privacy. Then in reference to criminal offenders, I think that person's record should be available trough the police but not to be posted in the internet for everybody to know that person's past.
Laura R.

Jenny said...

I believe that we have the right to delete old photos and information that is not important. As for a sexual offenders or murderers that have committed serious cases, I believe those individuals should not have the right to delete their records because those type of people are mentally sick and the community need to be aware.

JR

Miglaude said...

It is tough that our past can affect us so much and influence our current situation in life. If you have not experienced a hurtful event in your life, it is hard for you to expect a huge catastrophe is approaching you in the future. On the other hand, when you have experienced some unforgettable events in your past period, you will be showed some negative thinking and feeling towards your entire life. This is the reason that most people would like to delete their unhappy past that they can feel secure with themselves without being judged. The right to delete will not be a careful choice for our society and I do not agreed with it.

Unknown said...

Although there are certain things I wish I could delete I would have to disagree with this right. There may be many things us humans wish to delete, but in the long run we have to realize that our past has helped shaped our present and future. Regarding the case of Dollree Mapp, my view is if, the government makes a mistake or act in the wrong manner, they need to make it there SOUL responsibility to retract it and make sure that no long term negative affects will be taken. Giving people the right to delete is giving them the right to run from there past along with denying it. We all have a past, good or bad.

-Nicole Chaplin-

Anonymous said...

I cannot decide whether I agree or disagree if we have the right to delete. I think once you did an action it is already done, and even if you delete it from the internet database, it still is in people’s minds who were there to see it or that you told the story to. And we shouldn’t have the right to delete memory. In the car this morning, a lady called in that her ex-boyfriends’ new girlfriend wanted her to delete all the Facebook pictures that she still has up when they were once together. This reminded me of whether or not the ex-girlfriend has the right to keep the pictures. I would agree with this right in the sense that if you do not have control of what is uploaded on Internet database and it is a picture of yourself, you should have the right to delete it. -v.p.

Anonymous said...

I think the right to delete is a right that should be always agreed upon. Some people make bad choices that come with bad timing. And who is to say that those people regret what they have done and want to start all over? How can they when that memory haunts them because it has not been deleted? I do believe in people do change for the better. Personally I have not done anything that I am ashamed for, therefore I have nothing to delete. But people, who have committed a crime or has certain pictures or videos where they do not come out precisely as decent individuals, should be able to delete this obscenities. There is no justification for Dollree Mapp, although they did violate her rights as an American, she should have known better than to have what she had in her trunk. It sucks that if her grandchildren looked her up on the internet they will see anything to do with her case. It is really scary how you can Google your name and your right there. Our lives should be kept private. This is where the right to privacy comes in. We do not need our past in the internet. What should matter is our present and our future.
-Shivani

Anonymous said...

Yes, I have google my name and wanted to delete it but I could not do it. We shoud have the right to delete our personal information. I think we do not have privacy anymore.

Claudia B.

RV said...

At the point where technology is right now i do not think this right is going to be possible because even if we can delete information from online servers there is always going to be a private person who kept it and can put it back online. So be really careful Facebook users.

Anonymous said...

This right has its' pros and cons, therefore I have a neutral opinion about this specific right. In other words people should have the right to delete their information if they do not wish to be exposed. However, I think that people that have actually done something bad or illegal should not be able to delete their information or anything they desire to delete, because if they didn't want their information to be exposed they should not have done the illegal action. To conclude, I do not agree or disagree with this right.

Anonymous said...

If you delete everything that you believe is not perfect about your past, then you are also deleting what has made you who you are today. When you hit delete, you also delete a reference of something that possibly taught you a very important lesson. A true achievement is being able to overlook the past (something that you cannot change) and focus on the future (something you have "some" control over) and feel good about how much more knowledge and confidence you have because of your past mistakes. LP

Anonymous said...

I think for the right to delete, we should have the right to erase "x" information we do not want anyone or a group of people to see. In my opinion, I had facebook and after a year, I decided I did not want it anymore. I do not like to broadcast my personal life, therefore I have the right to deleted it. Nevertheless, the information still there If I try to log back in.
Patricia Delgado

Anonymous said...

The right to delete has its benefits but a set of limits should be imposed. Without the right to delete it’s literally like ‘living with a permanent record’ in any and all aspect, but at the same time without access to history, there’s a possibility that things are bound to be repeated. – D.T

Anonymous said...

The right to delete personal information should also apply to the internet. I don’t know why it does. The reason why I don’t go on MySpace or Facebook is because whatever you post into these two databases will forever stay there. I was taught by one of law professor to avoid these cites because sometime people who want to hurt you can post things about you that are lies or just untrue. Employers check these websites to see your friends and check out your private business. If believe that if something that is posted about you that affects you negatively and is untrue, you should have the right to delete it. Errors can mess you up when you are looking for employment and credit. We have the right to challenge our credit history and we should have the right to challenge our criminal history. I attended a seminar conducted by CrimeStoppers and they suggested that one should also review the police records to make ensure the records are correct and that no errors were made on the posted information on your driver's license. A new crime is that criminals are steeling someone else's health insurance information to get expensive surgery done. If they use one's information it could lead to problems with your driver's license. I’ve never been arrested and I don’t have a criminal record, however, I do believe that one should have the right to delete negative information that has been posted in error. BY: L.J.B.R.