Why Are We Drawn to Looking at Other People's Screens

cageymaru

cageymaru

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Apr 10, 2003
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Shoulder surfing has long been seen as an invasion of privacy. In the digital age where handheld digital assistants such as phones and tablets contain pictures, texts, messages, books, videos, and more; the act of peeking over another's shoulder has become more commonplace. A recent survey by a team of researchers at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have found that the perpetrators of the crime did it casually and opportunistically because they were simply curious. "However," the researchers wrote, "both users and observers expressed negative feelings in the respective situation, such as embarrassment and anger or guilt and unease."

Nobody really likes the idea that other people are looking at their screens. When they imagined being observed, survey participants reported negative feelings - that they felt they had been spied on, harassed, or that they were angry - in 37 cases, with just one respondent reporting "positive feelings." (And "amused" that someone was watching.) Other people also do not enjoy being asked about other people's screens, in my experience, in part because they know what they've seen, and that they probably shouldn't have seen it.
 
with just one respondent reporting "positive feelings." (And "amused" that someone was watching.)

I'm with this guy. If you're scared of someone shoulder surfing, then hide your screen. Otherwise, expect to have your privacy invaded. Everything I look at while not hiding my screen, or all messages I send, is fine for public consumption. I hope the shoulder surfer enjoys the content I am watching as much as I do.
 
We're looking at their screens for the same reason they are--we're bored and have nothing better to do.
 
"Other people’s screens have cameras on the back" is the author like 900 years old or something? Why was "research" needed on this subject? Of course most people don't like others looking over their shoulder. Did anyone ever really think differently? It was the same with books and magazines, and work in general. blarg...

On a related note, it'd be cool if screens had a layer of variably controlled polarization so we can block out the annoying coworker in the opposite cubical who you can clearly see from the reflection off the bezel on your screen is turned in their chair grinning directly towards you, looking on as he dips his sinful hands into the bag of cheetos, but somehow always managed to revert to a working state when you whip your head around... damn youooouuuuuuu
 
Never have, never will. Not even in spite of the unpolite junkie like use people have from their devises.
And people cant do that on me, cuz if i whip out my phone in public it is to look for 1 second and see if there are a notification LED flashing as i have ringtone and vibrate to off ( thats how much i hate phones )
 
I've got nothing to hide, but that doesn't mean I have "positive feelings" towards someone shoulder surfing. I'm not going to get violent and explode on them, but I'll politely pull away or ask them to stop. Just because nothing on my phone is sensitive doesn't make it your business.
 
I was on a bus once, half asleep still on my way to work. Neighbor was on her phone reading buzzfeed for gossip. I couldn't help but look. My eyes just drifted to the blinky device next to me. I looked for less than 2 seconds before she caught me. I felt like a perv. For looking at buzzfeed on someone else's device.

le sigh.
 
Most web sites have adds all over them ....... designed to attract a viewer's attention, and people are clueless that it actually works?
 
I don't look at other people's screens. But I have trained myself to look away when a woman with a low cut blouse bends over, because if I don't look away I'll get caught. I always look away, not because I'm a gentleman, but because I'm such a loser.
 
Wait, a smartphone user is worried that someone is physically looking over their shoulder when Facebook, the cell service provider, their email provider and at least half the apps are all monitoring and reporting to tracking central everything that user does?
 
The Mad Atheist said:
Multiple Choice.

A. You're a nosy little F-er.
B. Seeing who has the better porn.
C. Seeing if you can grab some important info.
D. You have nothing better to do.
E. All the above.
Click to expand...

I do that all the time. Don't care about people's phones, though
 
Simple. most people are deficient in being a courteous human being. I have a 49" display and love it. But there have been times when my GF's Mother has come to visit that she has commented on various articles I'm reading and or even emails. We had a huge fight one time maybe 3 years ago.

Don't read my mail, don't look over my shoulder. I don't do it and I firmly believe ... FIRMLY that if you have the wisdom, the intellect, a strong moral compass, well grounded that this is something you just don't do.

Sorry, but most people are shitty so the odds are really stacked against you that you won't run into this.
 
I love how the perceived anonymity of the internet and these forums are allowing people here to reveal just how shitty they are. lol.
 
seanreisk said:
I don't look at other people's screens. But I have trained myself to look away when a woman with a low cut blouse bends over, because if I don't look away I'll get caught. I always look away, not because I'm a gentleman, but because I'm such a loser.
Click to expand...

 
SixFootDuo said:
I love how the perceived anonymity of the internet and these forums are allowing people here to reveal just how shitty they are. lol.
Click to expand...

Me <-- Shithead

SixFootDuo said:
But there have been times when my GF's Mother has come to visit that she has commented on various articles I'm reading and or even emails. We had a huge fight one time maybe 3 years ago.
Click to expand...

She isn't doing that because she's nosy, she's doing that because she feels entitled. Because she's a mother, and mothers know better than anyone what is best for anyone remotely related to her family. And this will NEVER stop.

I am the adult caretaker for my elderly parents. One night when I was out walking my mother's dog it started to rain. So when we got home I came in the back door because 1) it was closer than walking around the block to get to the front door, and 2) our feet were muddy. My mom immediately wants to know why we came in the back door, and I can sense by her attitude that she is in 'entitlement' mode. And she starts looking through the cupboards in the rooms near the back door. After 30 minutes of blowing her off, asking why she wants to know, and asking why she is acting so weird, I finally find out that she thought I had stopped at Shopko and bought cookies, and that I came in the back door so she wouldn't notice these criminal cookies. Because even though I'm over 50 years old, I'm not old enough to decide that I'm not supposed to have cookies.

Get used to it. It never stops.
 
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The Mad Atheist said:
Multiple Choice.

A. You're a nosy little F-er.
B. Seeing who has the better porn.
C. Seeing if you can grab some important info.
D. You have nothing better to do.
E. All the above.
Click to expand...

I'm not Snowden, but guessing the NSA would pick A & C. And B. Ok...fine, they'd pick E like everyone else.
 
seanreisk said:
I don't look at other people's screens. But I have trained myself to look away when a woman with a low cut blouse bends over, because if I don't look away I'll get caught. I always look away, not because I'm a gentleman, but because I'm such a loser.
Click to expand...

i dont look at chicks in that situation becuase i really do not want to deal with the cognitive dissonance im going to have to hear when they decide to go bat-shit crazy because they walked out the house half freakin naked and someone DARED to look at them.

on topic: i dont look at peoples screens because it is not physically possible for me to care any less about what they're doing then i already do. as for people lookin at my stuff, mind your business you nosy little F-er.
 
You can look, so long as you stay outside of my personal space.
 
seanreisk said:
I don't look at other people's screens. But I have trained myself to look away when a woman with a low cut blouse bends over, because if I don't look away I'll get caught. I always look away, not because I'm a gentleman, but because I'm such a loser.
Click to expand...
You gotta take a quick peek... shes wearing the uniform for a reason. It's more likely shes offended you didnt sneak a peek! And I guess I've never even cared if someone is eavesdropping on my phone... you learn better than to do confidential things in public as soon as you get a career.
 
seanreisk said:
I don't look at other people's screens. But I have trained myself to look away when a woman with a low cut blouse bends over, because if I don't look away I'll get caught. I always look away, not because I'm a gentleman, but because I'm such a loser.
Click to expand...
You are doing it partially correct, you only forgot the part about pulling out your phone and shooting a quick video while "looking away." ;)
 
Smashing Young Man said:
You can look, so long as you stay outside of my personal space.
Click to expand...
This. I will glance at someone's screen if I don't have to be in their face to see it. I expect others to do the same. I have zero expectation of privacy when I am out in the public because I AM OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

If you don't want people to see your shit, don't do it out in public. How hard of a concept is this to understand people? If you don't want others doing this but you still want to look at stuff in some relative privacy, get a privacy filter for your phone (or other screen) and and stop complaining.
 
[21CW]killerofall said:
This. I will glance at someone's screen if I don't have to be in their face to see it. I expect others to do the same. I have zero expectation of privacy when I am out in the public because I AM OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

If you don't want people to see your shit, don't do it out in public. How hard of a concept is this to understand people? If you don't want others doing this but you still want to look at stuff in some relative privacy, get a privacy filter for your phone (or other screen) and and stop complaining.
Click to expand...

In other words, how dare we expect people to mind they own business! THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! :D :rolleyes: Oh well, when we live in a society where they just have to slow down below the speed limit to get good look at an accident on the other side of the highway...…...
 
harbingerofdoom said:
i dont look at chicks in that situation becuase i really do not want to deal with the cognitive dissonance im going to have to hear when they decide to go bat-shit crazy because they walked out the house half freakin naked and someone DARED to look at them.
Click to expand...

It has to be some kind of microexpression or something. I'm the same way, and i'm gay. Literally do not care about boobs, but I still get the "oh you pervert" looks if I turn around at the wrong time. Yet my BF will be asked by random women to help adjust their undergarments. I don't get it.
 
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