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Privacy, Please: What Is #PlaneBae and Why Should You Care?
Jane Frye
Contributor
July 14, 2018
•
4 min read
Privacy, Please: What Is #PlaneBae and Why Should You Care?
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In a day and age when nearly everyone has a device within arm's reach capable of recording every airplane altercation and gator runway crossing, privacy lines can easily be blurred.
The most recent example comes to us courtesy of Rosey Blair, who asked a woman behind her to switch seats on Alaska Airlines Flight 3327 from New York to Dallas so that Blair could sit next to her boyfriend. The woman agreed and took her seat next to a male passenger, and the two struck up a conversation.
Positioned directly behind the new seat mates, Blair and her boyfriend proceeded to capture every word and gesture exchanged between the two by taking photos and videos. Upon landing, Blair then released her story on Twitter with the hashtag #PlaneBae; the thread was retweeted by more than 300,000 and liked by nearly a million according to The Atlantic. And thus, the latest internet drama was born.
Since then, the male half of #PlaneBae has basked in the fame, while his female counterpart has tried to remain anonymous and out of the spotlight. As the internet is wont to do, the doxxing began and the woman's personal information was published, leading not only to a wave of uninvited attention but a bout of racist remarks on Twitter.
The woman has finally come forward to issue the following statement, which reminds us that "going viral" is often unwanted:
"I am a young professional woman. On July 2, I took a commercial flight from New York to Dallas. Without my knowledge or consent, other passengers photographed me and recorded my conversation with a seatmate. They posted images and recordings to social media, and speculated unfairly about my private conduct.
"Since then, my personal information has been widely distributed online. Strangers publicly discussed my private life based on patently false information. I have been doxxed, shamed, insulted and harassed. Voyeurs have come looking for me online and in the real world.
"I did not ask for and do not seek attention. #PlaneBae is not a romance - it is a digital-age cautionary tale about privacy, identity, ethics and consent.
"Please continue to respect my privacy, and my desire to remain anonymous."
What may have seemed like a fun idea to Blair at the start has clearly come at the expense of this unknowing woman. While there's no doubt having cameras at the ready has helped bring to light many an unjust situation, especially in cases like Dr. David Dao, who was recorded being assaulted and dragged off a United flight, the question remains: Where do we draw the line when it comes to privacy in airports and on airplanes?
The line is pretty clear when it comes to filming in airports and on airplanes as we previously reported, but not as it pertains to fellow passengers. While there may be times someone can't offer consent but would benefit from being filmed — as in the case of Dao — it's worth taking a second the next time you're tempted to hit record to consider what repercussions might befall the person on the other end of the lens — and yourself as well.
Now, Blair has issued a statement of her own, an apology to the woman, and has since deleted the tweets that started it all:
To keep yourself and others out of trouble when it comes to recording something, visit your state legislature's current year posting of Laws and Statutes (ensure you're checking a .gov site). Each state is different, and may use different coding and language. City and municipal codes should be checked as well. Contact a lawyer if you are unsure, or to see if the laws in your state have changed.
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TPG has reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment and has not heard back as of publication.
Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.