Screens that give and take

WNevertheless

we imagine we get some

privacy by using

passwords.

century, second them, to them gift. screen sex. like It What noticing, us wasn’t. pulling to The When The In the The It others Nineteen slowly it that’s brought – first internet is takes screen goods mistake the the which that Television out is that arning: think illustrates those the people without internet is your if that Eighty-Four to everything we what is moment ever is the opinions we robber it two-way: our already you own who this is robber made is you salt. we was also selves, is one-way: can’t entrails story run give when two barons think born knew, to we was illustrative. George barons it beat the entertainment old it and gives wanted is they thinking you’ve it without trivial. and internet. it of truths the them. looked it’s only Orwell the got and reduce eating television. by to beaten rich. 21st What gives. The about But takes. a it selling like was you I to a it invented home, propaganda acting camera. imagine He the the should internet. fictional and as Orwell anything the a have unswitchoffable, surveillance whilst telescreen For telescreen. imagined couldn’t whereas worse. also Mounted it spewed in every

was hated, is loved. the which voluntary family compulsory It the a house has actual dog become and without seems and much internet like much

empty. family one Internet the horse, Or nice perhaps security Greeks that wooden like left is an the us. oxymoron. As a boffin once we’ve some put privacy got it you.’’ to me: by Nevertheless using ‘‘If you’ve passwords. got we a imagine cellphone And it is we get illustrative passwords that story. are the subject of my trivial but

of my At the dog dawn as my of password the internet for everything. I used the name (Indulge him. He was me for a lovely a moment boy, old while 1234.) I remember But then the internet complex got passwords. cute and One started could demanding hardly call more a dog than £3^%$=, I forgot so no it. sooner And if had ever I I chosen needed a to password use it again, I solved I had the to reset problem it. It with was a tedious. bit of kit we boffins so they call don’t as trash pen and the paper. house – (Note the notebook to burglars in which I have written down all my passwords is on the shelf to the right of the computer in my study, just under the jar of tarantulas.)

With the help of the notebook I thought I had passwords licked. But see truth No 2 above.

This week a woman emailed to invite me to take part in a literary festival. When I clicked on the attached itinerary, the computer informed me that I had to sign in to a beast called googledocs. The name rang a faint bell.

I nudged aside the tarantulas and found I had once before signed in to googledocs for some forgotten reason. I duly typed in my email address and password. Nothing. Access denied. Ah well, one gets used to electronic thwarting.

Then an email arrived entitled ‘‘Critical Security Alert’’, replete with exclamation marks and a sense of urgency. It was from googledocs. ‘‘Someone,’’ it said, ‘‘just tried to used your password to sign into your account.’’

It was a no-reply email address but I replied anyway. ‘‘Oh lordy,’’ I wrote, ‘‘can it be long now?’’ And then I went looking for a drink with which to wash down the entrails.