Daily (George Carlin–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

We used to worry about Big Brother.
Now we carry him in our pocket,
charge him at night,
and line up for the newest version.

You got “terms and conditions”
longer than the Old Testament,
and people click “agree”

like they’re swatting a fly.

You wanna talk about “personal information”?
You gave it to them.
Birthday, mother’s maiden name,
first pet, favorite band—
they don’t even need to hack you,
they just need to watch you talk.

And the comments section?
That’s where common sense goes to die.
People say things there
they wouldn’t say in a dark alley
with three friends and a getaway car.

Here’s a wild idea:
Before you post,
imagine it printed on a billboard
next to your house of worship,
your mother’s house,
and your workplace.
If you wouldn’t drive past that billboard
with the windows down and a smile…
maybe don’t hit “send.”

Protect your data,
protect your money,
protect your mouth.

Because in this brave new digital world,
if you don’t set your own boundaries,
there’s a whole lot of companies and con artists
who’ll be happy to set them for you.

wracton@gmail.com

williamacton.legalschieldassociate.com