I was sound asleep when my alarm clock rang. I hit the snooze button and went back to sleep. Exactly nine minutes later, the clock rang once more. I glanced at the time and decided to get out of bed.
I walked over to my computer to check my e-mail. That was when I realized that I forgot to turn off my computer and the web cam the night before. I tried to recall what I did in the past 12 hours and see if I did anything that I should have kept private. Fortunately for me, I went right to sleep immediately after I finished using my computer the night before. Trying to find a little more reassurance, I looked at the angle of the camera and realized that it would not have captured anything, since the lens were pointing towards the roof.
It was time to leave for work. I travelled to the subway station and bought a ticket. An annoucement was made and the train was about the leave. I made it into the train before the doors closed. The train was virtually packed and you are in someone else's face no matter which way you look.
The train was filled with commuters going to work or school, and tourists going to do some early sightseeing. It used to be easy to distinguish the tourists from the rest of the crowd — just check whether they are carrying cameras. Nowadays, with all time camera-equipped cell phones, tourists can blend in with more ease.
Many people on the train were using their mobile phones. As I looked around me, a few people seemed to be pointing the back of their phones towards me. They might be talking over the phone, or playing computer games they downloaded to their phones. Then I realized that they may be taking pictures, or even taping movies, of me with their cell phones' built-in camera. Everything I do on the train may be available for anyone on-line to see within minutes. Of course, those carrying video recorders may also be taping the actions on the train, but they are easier to detect. There is nothing to worry about, I thought to myself, as long as you don't do anything to draw everyone else's attention to you.
After a while, the train reached the stop near the place I work. After I left the train, I realized that I was still scanning the people around me to see if they were pointing their phones towards me. I tried not to make any sudden movements, hoping that no one is interested in capturing someone doing mundane activities. I tried to walk normally, but my head seemed to be turning back and forth to see if anyone's taking a picture, the exact action that garners attention. With some effort, I managed to stop my head from moving side-to-side.
A few minutes later, I arrived at the place where I work. I walked through the entrance and glanced at the surveilance camera. Nothing I do here would be interesting enough for anyone to upload into cyberspace, I thought to myself. I walked over to my desk and sat down on a chair. My nerves finally calmed down and I began working.