Submitted by John Boxall on December 23, 2006 - 4:03pm.
Britney Spears? Naughty. But at least Santa knows what to bring you for next Christmas.
Micheal Richards? Naughty. Soap is all you can expect in your stocking.
Yes, Santa is breathing a deep sigh of relief this year. His job just keeps on getting easier. Thanks to the youTubes and Myspaces of the world, keeping tabs on who is being naughty and nice couldn't be simpler. In a world where anyone can upload a video of you in a compromising situation with a couple of clicks it would seem we all have to think twice before crying or pouting. You never know who could be watching.
Yet, no one seems particularly worried. In fact those most likely to be caught drinking a little too much eggnog this holiday season, teenagers and twenty-somethings, are the most willing to post their latest embarrassing antics online. Take a look at the average picture on Facebook or video on youTube and you'll see what I mean. People drunk. People speeding. People drunkenly speeding etc. If you can imagine it, you can bet there is someone online doing it. The core of online social networking boils down to a popularity contest; people are always looking for ways to raise the stakes, doing whatever it takes to appear cool. Facebook certainly isn't overflowing with pictures of hard working college students studying exams. It's naughty and not nice that sells. What better way to impress your friends then openly displaying your drinking prowess and skill at dancing without your shirt? While in the short term this might mean a couple more online friends or video views, the long term prospects are hardly flattering. Digital dirt is gathering online and it leaves a stain that is tough get out.
