On multiple occasions now I have written original blog posts, only to see the same topics repeated on major websites within a few days.
For example, on May 4th I posted about giving away security information through online name games. Eight days later, PC World posted basically the same thing.
It’s happened a few other times as well. One time I posted this goofy idea I had about cheating on tests by printing up soda labels edited in Photoshop. About two weeks later I saw the same idea posted on a couple of other websites.
Do I think websites like PC World are out there combing blogs like mine for story ideas? Probably not. With enough like-minded people out there generating content on a daily basis, I suppose the odds of two random people coming up with similar topics around the same time are pretty good. If it were to happen more than once with the same site then I might suspect something slightly more nefarious were afoot. Instead, I just chalk it up to weird coincidences.
I hereby dub this phenomenon “Cyber Echo”.
You’d better copyright that phrase or Wired is going to be using it in a week.
Ssssh! Big brother is watching!
Your original post echoed and described, in a far superior and complete manner, disturbingly similar but unripe concerns I had until then. Bravo!
And “Cyber Echo” indeed! In fact, I’ve experienced similar cases of déjà vu when rambling on about MP3 vs. CD and the resurgence of vinyl (and other topics I can’t remember offhand). Methinks we spend too much time online…