Nine times out of ten, I do not ask for someone's wifi password. Why? Because the reason I visit someone's house is to see people, not to play around on the Internet with my phone, which I can do at home. Messing around with my phone in another person's home is an unsociable activity and, in my opinion, is an excellent method to prevent being invited back. In the event I do have to use the Internet, my mobile data is sufficient. Besides, whenever someone comes to visit me I don't occupy myself with my computer or phone, so why should I do it elsewhere?
Another reason I don't usually ask for the password is because I consider other people's Internet — both the password and the use of the Internet itself — to be private. To be fair, the password privacy concern can be rectified by allowing the other person to connect my device to their network themselves.
As for when I would ask, the most likely occasion would be if I wanted to show my friend something on the Internet, I had to use my phone to do it and needed something faster than mobile data. Another would be if an urgent need to use the Internet arose and it again required my phone. I also agree with the last sentence of Showerman's post, "Does it depend on who you are visiting?": for example, if I'm visiting someone with interests in phones/mobile Internet, that could influence me to ask if I think it would be useful. In addition, I'm happy to connect to someone's network if they make an offer.
I'm curious, how do you feel about asking someone, in their own home, for access to their Internet, in particular via your phone and needing to use their password? How about if it's the other way around? Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I want to state that I would not demand someone leave my house for wanting to use the Internet!
Note: the above image is not mine; the credit goes to http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi05OWNlNWUyNDc5NzMwNzJj
I know I wouldn't ask. I'd feel weird. I remember staying at nan's house, I couldn't get on the internet because I felt like asking her neighbors would be an invasion of privacy. I guess that's more of a reason why I don't ask.
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Fair enough opinion. :)
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I guess it depends on how close I am with the person. With my closest friends I wouldn't hesitate to ask, with other people I probably wouldn't in normal circumstances just because why would you need internet when visiting a friend you aren't very close with? I wouldn't mind at all giving my WiFi password to friends, not everyone has unlimited data and sometimes instagram just needs to be checked :)
ReplyDeleteCompletely reasonable, and I think the first sentence of your comment is what counts the most. :)
DeleteIn my experience, having your significant other's WIFI password is a sign that the relationship is really serious :P
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! :) Significant others were exempt from this post, anyway. :P
DeleteI only ask for passwords from close friends who I visit frequently and therefore my visit isn't that rare or special and we both feel comfortable being on our phones in front of each other.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a good policy to me. :)
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