Starting to get tech paranoid?

Lots of companies are moving all of their functions to on-line only.

Banks are stopping sending monthly statements by post.

Employers are demanding job applications by email only - not even a telephone number, not even an email address in some cases, just fill in a form on a screen, press send, that's all you're allowed to do.

National companies no longer have individual branch telephone numbers, if they even have a telephone number.

Networking social media demands a monthly payment, there's only so many you can afford to join.

Every time a national service needs to update from Windows XYZ to Windows ABC the taxpayer has to find another $100m to pay for it.

To name but a few recent stories.

What's going to happen to people who simply don't want to be 'totally' on-line?

What 'choice' does the future hold?

Edit for the hard of brain: What do you do if your life has no internet connection?

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JohnGrammaticus wrote:

Yes you are paranoid. Yes they hoard your data. But there's more people in the world than standard league players and noone is able to pick your data to see "what's cronk up to today" and there is no room full of people giggling at your gmail pictures.

I think you've missed the point of the thread :(



There's no mention of data security in the OP :(

Edit: No mention of me either, my view was not given :(

You totally Rorschach'ed the post :(

What has happened is many companies in an effort to cut costs even more have automated their review of applications. Say the wrong thing, into the reject pile. Put down the right answer, get an interview.

This is extremely short sighted of course. But is the new reality. Too the point that the companies that write the code for the hiring process now sell the proper answers to the public.

But hiring is always a crap shoot. Degrees really don't mean much if the person sucks at the job. Experience is less valuable than ever due to even more short sighted decision makings companies do to earn money today.

What happens then is small startups that do take the risks, rise and make a name for themselves and then get brought out by the large few. Their top employees absorded and used when they would have never been hired directly in the first place.

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Moonyu wrote:

What has happened is many companies in an effort to cut costs even more have automated their review of applications. Say the wrong thing, into the reject pile. Put down the right answer, get an interview.

This is extremely short sighted of course. But is the new reality. Too the point that the companies that write the code for the hiring process now sell the proper answers to the public.

But hiring is always a crap shoot. Degrees really don't mean much if the person sucks at the job. Experience is less valuable than ever due to even more short sighted decision makings companies do to earn money today.

What happens then is small startups that do take the risks, rise and make a name for themselves and then get brought out by the large few. Their top employees absorded and used when they would have never been hired directly in the first place.

An excellent example of how the employment market has changed in just 10 years is the difference between applying for a job 10 years ago and applying for one now.

10 years ago, see ad in newspaper, telephone the lady at the other end, she sends an application form or asks you to pop in for a chat. For the former you'd fill it in and most likely at least get an interview - either way you get the chance (or many chances) to 'schmooze' someone.

Now? Just a computer screen, fill in your details, even if the boxes don't match what you need to write, press send, never hear from them again - you have no idea if there was even a job on offer, the website just says click here to apply for a job, if we have one, we'll let you know, which they don't. At no point is there any potential 'schmoozing'.

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fsg wrote:

hopefully the technocalypse is not too far away

its gonna be awesome

Lol, is that where the net completely dominates or when it folds in on itself in complete failure?