Miss Manners vs. Wearable Surveillance

Would you catch this? I'm not sure I would... (Screenshot by the author, via Spy Gadgets. I believe my use of this image to be fair use under U.S. Copyright Law.)

The headline is more of a made you look here: Judith Martin has not categorically weighed in against wearable devices. I feel safe saying that's not her style because her approach to etiquette is rational and based on context.

That said, I might be helping passers-by realize that wearable recording devices are out there enough that one might wish to be prepared.

Miss Manners recently replied in part to a letter asking how best to request not being continuously recorded during a social situation -- by giving the rationale for her somewhat frosty-sounding script:

Miss Manners intends for the listener to consider the possibility that the speaker will ensure that the time is not enjoyable, should recording continue. But she adds that any such action must be subtle enough to be deniable later.

I can sometimes be even more blunt than I want to be, and would have no trouble asking someone to not use one of these devices.

But I can be caught off-guard, and although I knew such devices exist, I thought their widespread use might still be far from a situation I'd have to consider in my daily life. The set shown above is only about 300 smackers and, although odd-looking, is hardly outside the bounds of what passes for good taste or even fashion these days.

This time, I appreciate the warning even more than the actual advice.

-- CAV