How much do value your privacy?

Not your identity being stolen or anything, I'm talking about little things like people peeking over your shoulder at a computer or just watching you while you read or work. I hate this. I've always had an unreasonably harsh reaction to people invading my privacy in minor ways. It makes me unreasonably angry when someone watches me without my permission...if I'm showing you how to do something that's fine, but if you walk over and hover behind me while I'm busy I get really pissed. When I say 'unreasonably angry' I mean it's like someone walked over and spat on me...I'm angry enough to hit them for hovering over my shoulder. I don't consider myself an angry person, this is just the one thing I've found that really sets me off and I'd like to work on it if possible. Anyone else get reactions like this?

I do it in my house, cos people in my house will just shout whatever's onscreen out loud. 
My brother used to think that people's forum avatars were actually items up for sale, and shout that I was buying crazy things. So that's really annoying.
 
Otherwise no.
Unless it's something weird, like... Haruhi Suzumiya, or... Deadly Premonition.

When I'm outside of my room at college, not so much. I don't really do anything to draw that much attention and so if anyone stares at me it doesn't bother me. But when I head back to my room, I never leave my door open, I very much value my privacy once I'm back in my room. And it's not so much a problem when I'm off campus either, unless there are a lot of people around, then sometimes I get a bit nervous.

i dont really worry to much about that. But i do sit in positions that allow me to view the screen but make it difficult for people to see it( mainly for worry of out of context image of some young lady in an ad making it look like i was doing something indecent....it is a habit from when i was younger). I do think you over reacting. People will look, unless u are doing something that requires privacy, i see no reason to care. Let me ask u this. Are u bothered by strangers or people close to you? Is that they dont announce their presence? would it be better if u knew they were behind u?

@Arkasai said:

I'm talking about little things like people peeking over your shoulder at a computer or just watching you while you read or work.

I hate stuff like this too.Also, while I am in my room eating and someone comes in and starts talking to me.

I think it only really applies when I'm on the computer writing or in the middle of heavy story related stuff in a game. I can't concentrate with people hanging around me looking at what I'm doing at that time so I tend to pause whatever it is I'm doing and address them and see if there's a way for them to go away, which usually isn't difficult. Still, I don't do any of those things outside my home so it's not really a daily issue. And it's rare someone tries to take a peek at what I'm doing with my phone.

@Arkasai: Yeah, I'm exactly the same way. I have totally unreasonable levels of anger boiling up inside when others watch me for no reason. I recognize I'm probably insane and shouldn't care, but I can't help it.

If we are just talking about people looking over my shoulder when I am on the computer, the ONLY thing that annoys me is the stupid questions .......

"What are you looking"" "Why are you looking at that?" "So why is that interesting? ""What are you saying?" "What are those people saying?"

I just can't be nothered with the small talk. It just irritates me.

Not so much, at my office we have a really open office and my boss's desk is directly behind me. As a result, he is always looking right over my shoulder basically. At home, though I have my own room I live in a house with 14 other people (relatively common practice). As a result most of our common spaces (such as kitchen, bathrooms, bathtubs) are shared. Space is a premium, people are gonna be pushed up together all the time, so you get used to it. The only times I really have full privacy are when I sleep, I guess. Otherwise, there's usually people there.

@Alexandruxx said:

@Arkasai said:

I'm talking about little things like people peeking over your shoulder at a computer or just watching you while you read or work.

I hate stuff like this too.Also, while I am in my room eating and someone comes in and starts talking to me.

That is the worst.

@Addfwyn said:

At home, though I have my own room I live in a house with 14 other people

O_o

I had to move back home because I couldn't take living with just two goddamn people. You're a crazy person.

@Chop: It's not bad, rent in Tokyo is very expensive so this way I get to live in a MUCH nicer place for a lot less money. If I had to have a flat by myself, the entire apartment would be smaller than my room here. Most of the housemates are other working folk in their late 20s to early 30s so it's not like living in a dorm or something.

I hate when people peer over my shoulder and try to read what I'm reading, be it a book or my computer screen. If someone tries to do that I just close the book or throw up iTunes and glare. That hasn't happened in a while though and I'm lucky enough to have housemates who don't feel the need to do that. I try to keep the volume as low as I can on video games, partly out of courtesy but also cos it's always the weird scenes that get overheard or walked in on, like the FFX laughing scene, the cross-dressing pageant in Persona 4 or the romance/sex scenes in Mass Effect and/or Dragon Age to name but a few.

@Neurotic: Exactly why all my gaming is done through headphones. Although now that I'm "living on my lonesome." I don't really need too, I just like being the quiet neighbor I guess.

Watching over my shoulder doesn't usually bother me too much, although people standing in front of a tv when I'm playing a game so they can talk to me pisses me right the fuck off.

I hate when people come up behind me and touch me though - I'm not weird about physical contact or anything (well I can be, I'm not much of a buyer outside of my missus), but I've had a few bad experiences with people grabbing me from behind for the purpose of attacking me, and I react poorly when surprised.

Almost punched a dude at work last week for this (involuntarily, reflex), as he's one of those annoying pricks who likes to grab your shoulder when he wants attention. The least of his annoying quirks actually, but I digress.

Watching over my shoulder doesn't usually bother me too much, although people standing in front of a tv when I'm playing a game so they can talk to me pisses me right the fuck off.

I hate when people come up behind me and touch me though - I'm not weird about physical contact or anything (well I can be, I'm not much of a buyer outside of my missus), but I've had a few bad experiences with people grabbing me from behind for the purpose of attacking me, and I react poorly when surprised.

Almost punched a dude at work last week for this (involuntarily, reflex), as he's one of those annoying pricks who likes to grab your shoulder when he wants attention. The least of his annoying quirks actually, but I digress.

A good bit. When someone comes in my room and I'm typing on Giantbomb or Facebook, even if it isn't anything private I'll CTRL-T and open a new tab. Or minimize the window. Even if it isn't anything really private, I'll close it until that person leaves.

And if I'm playing a video game, then I usually just pause it and talk until that person leaves. I do this because people have a bad fucking habit of walking in on me either during weird scenes or the "boring" parts of a game, i.e. the quiet parts in between shootouts in an FPS.

EDIT: And I do most of my gaming with headphones on when other people are in the house. Sometimes not, but usually I do.

Dont really mind much.. when im at work most of the stuff is work or giantbomb. so yeah..

@WilltheMagicAsian said:

@Neurotic: Exactly why all my gaming is done through headphones. Although now that I'm "living on my lonesome." I don't really need too, I just like being the quiet neighbor I guess.

Yeah, I did that for a bit but my TV sucks with headphones and in my house thi. I do my minimal laptop gaming with headphones.

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal. I don't really care who looks through all my texts and emails though I don't really trust them so... as long as they aren't invading my privacy without my supervision then sure.

I care about it alot.

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal.

I value it quite a bit. I'm the type of person who just wants to be left the hell alone, and invading my privacy won't exactly further that cause.

I don't know Mr. Phil, you didn't really give Will a whole lot of privacy. Seems a little hypocritical.

Yeah, my flatmates read my facebook chat conversations over my back, which can be really annoying. I usually have to say something to make them go away.

If I've got Microsoft Word open and it's not school-related then everyone needs to fuck off and not read what I'm writing. I'm incredibly insecure about that type of shit, even if it's a completely fictional and generally non-embarrassing story.

I don't know, I value a stray look from a pretty girl, but someone I don't even want to know I guess I can get wierded out by. I'm generally a private person, but if I choose to go out or have company over I don't mind some personal space being invaded.

we suck so badly

Non at all

@Napalm said:

@gamefreak9 said:

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal.

Maybe people just don't want to be fucking bothered. Did you ever think about that? As for me, it doesn't bug me too much, especially at work, since all I ever have open is Giant Bomb, Wikipedia, Google, plus our work system, as well as Photoshop/Illustrator for actual work.

I would consider a camera in someone's room to be an invasion of privacy... yet its exudes no effort from that person... so "bothered" is also an irrational argument. Maybe you should think before replying.

@Napalm said:

@gamefreak9 said:

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal.

Maybe people just don't want to be fucking bothered. Did you ever think about that? As for me, it doesn't bug me too much, especially at work, since all I ever have open is Giant Bomb, Wikipedia, Google, plus our work system, as well as Photoshop/Illustrator for actual work.

I would consider a camera in someone's room to be an invasion of privacy... yet its exudes no effort from that person... so "bothered" is also an irrational argument. Maybe you should think before replying.

@gamefreak9 said:

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal. I don't really care who looks through all my texts and emails though I don't really trust them so... as long as they aren't invading my privacy without my supervision then sure.

Somewhere along the line I was conditioned to be disgusted by nosiness, the same way you were probably conditioned to wear clothes in public and to avoid shitting yourself. Personal privacy has always been an implicit right in my eyes, sadly not everyone feels the same.

I kinda freak out when people mess with my computer without my knowledge.

Otherwise, I don't like people seeing or, more importantly, hearing what game I'm playing. This is probably a habit back from when I was way into JRPGs, and I was afraid the dialog sounded ridiculous to other people. It took my brother chuckling ONCE to make me switch to headphone.

I've been trying to change that, though.

@Arkasai said:

@gamefreak9 said:

I consider "privacy" irrational... there's no point in wanting to hide anything unless your doing something that's either frowned upon or illegal. I don't really care who looks through all my texts and emails though I don't really trust them so... as long as they aren't invading my privacy without my supervision then sure.

Somewhere along the line I was conditioned to be disgusted by nosiness, the same way you were probably conditioned to wear clothes in public and to avoid shitting yourself. Personal privacy has always been an implicit right in my eyes, sadly not everyone feels the same.

I agree that its all being conditioned though I don't really see a strong incentive to protect my privacy(unless its identity theft of course), whilst walking around naked and shitting yourself will probably either get you arrested or will make a mess that will make it not worth the trouble not to mention losing all your friends... whilst not being protective about my privacy just seems to create friends to me(I don't go around telling people shit but if they ask I answer).

Privacy is for the birds!

my computer faces away from my door, so no one walking by can see. And when sitting at the computer I look out in to the hallway.

@gamefreak9: you are what's wrong with this country then... our rights in a free society are not irrational they're natural.

@Arkasai: My problem is mainly with fear of judgement I suppose because I know that being somewhat of a nerdy person I'm not going to be doing what most people would on their computer. So yes in public especially I'd rather others not see that I'm looking at some giantbomb video or playing some game. Most people would just not understand what I am looking at and that's what I don't like. I don't like to think someone would prejudge me without me first being able to explain myself so there.

Can't stand having people watch me play games unless they're playing with me or having people watch me do something while I'm on the internet.

I tried and failed to produce the commercial that spawned this thread. It's a Lenscrafters commercial featuring Clark Kent reading over the shoulder of some unknowing girl on the bus, and exclaiming "That's awesome!!" as they share a laugh. It angers me on so many levels it's just not healthy. It's not awesome it's fucking rude, creepy, and impossible to read 12 point font over someone's shoulder from five rows back. Every time I see it I want the girl to throw the book in his face and scream, "Here! Read it you stalker fuck!"

i really dont know. when im out in public i really dont care

but when im at home i do, i dont care if people can hear what im doing i just dont want people to stare though my windows so the blinds are pretty much down all the time. i want to be able to walk around naked if i wanted to

I have everything on Facebook as friends only and I hate having people peer over at what I'm doing on the Internet, is my browsing Reddit or talking to a few people really that interesting? One 'friend' pissed me off recently by adding my girlfriend on Facebook, he doesn't know her, in fact I barely even speak to him. He's done this before too actually. I'm guessing he's just being nosy, which is a little weird to me.

Also, people who talk to you when you're on the toilet need a one way trip to Somalia.

I like having the option of deciding what I want to share with people. So I guess I value it a lot?

Privacy is hiding things you're ashamed of. Don't be ashamed of yourself!

@GunslingerPanda said:

Privacy is hiding things you're ashamed of. Don't be ashamed of yourself!

That is really silly, makes me think of the people that play out their relationships on Facebook.

I value my privacy a lot for a few reasons. One is my job; I'm a mental health therapist. So my ethics code speaks quite a bit about confidentiality and privacy. But even more importantly my information is my own to share with whomever I choose. Therefore, if I choose to share information about myself with someone else I want some assurance that that information won't be shared without my consent by whomever I share the information with. There's nothing worse then when someone shares your information without your consent.

@Sooty said:

@GunslingerPanda said:

Privacy is hiding things you're ashamed of. Don't be ashamed of yourself!

That is really silly, makes me think of the people that play out their relationships on Facebook.

That's different; that's called being an attention whore.

People are nosy by nature. We all like to know things regardless of whether or not they are our business. But that being said, if you don't like getting attention from people, and it literally makes you angry enough to commit violence, then you ought to consider whether or not you've got some deeper seated problems. No one likes people who hover, but consider the degree to which your reaction is reasonable.

Greatly. I grew up in a family with domineering parents. Everything was evil in my house so I grew trying to hide everything from those people and that behavior carries over. Although I don't have this secret life to hide I just keep all this stuff to myself because of my upbringing.

I love my privacy. I hate when people check what I am doing, I am glad my PC is in my room.