Privacy on the Internet is a Fallacy

Privacy on the internet is a fallacy which we need to stop pursuing. Somehow we have allowed consumers to believe that their personal information is safe, secure, and private on the internet. Consumers have no problem knowing that friends of friends can freely stalk them, but riots ensue when personal information is mined by Google to enhance their user experience. This is akin to announcing an engagement in Relief Society and expecting the news to stay there. Ignorance is the sole cause of this illogical behavior. We must stop allowing ourselves to be deceived by the fallacy of a private internet.

The CS Gender Gap is Natural

It is well known that computer science is a male-dominated field. After much research, the most reasonable cause for this phenomena is that women just don't enjoy tinkering with gadgets. The proposed solution to the gender gap is to change computer science so that tinkering is not required. This would be accomlished by teaching computer science more like mathematics. That could tear down some barriers for women, but what about the effect it would have on the men? Lets take another step back and ask, why is the gender gap a problem? A lot of research was done in order to prove whether social injustice was the cause. But now we know the culprit is more natural and we can rest at ease.

A Respectful Forum

We often hear general authorities suggesting that we use social media as a means for sharing the gospel. I have two options for reaching out to my friends (based on what services they use): Facebook or a blog. I had a blog that I updated regularly before my mission. Many of my friends, and a few random people, were faithful readers. But the internet has changed in the 5 years since I stopped blogging; I don't think I could get the same audience I had before. I am left with Facebook, but that is treacherous ground. When people want to participate in a respectful and meaningful exchange of ideas, they don't turn to Facebook. Most of the people who discuss politics and religion on Facebook are passionate and obnoxious fiends. I, like many others, quickly unsubscribe from most updates of those radicals. The last thing I want to do is force all of my friends to ignore anything I say.

Make Your Money and Move On

Copyright law has been a source of much contention on the internet. While trying to protect their intellectual property, the entertainment industry has alienated customers by making it more difficult to access and share content. Some say that the solution is to end the practice of copyrighting. But that is ridiculous. How would anybody be able to make money without copyright? The best solution is to shorten the length of copyright down to no more than 20 years. That is more than enough time for the original creator to reap the rewards of their creation without further hindering the "progress of science and useful arts."