Blog Post #7

 Privacy, Online & Off

Growing up in this day and age, technology has never not been a part of my life. While I have always been cognizant of the harmful effects technology can have on people, it was not until now that I considered how I could be targeted as well. When I say this, I do not mean that I could be currently targeted because I am more important than before, rather that I have learned that all people are being surveilled.

The Ted Talk “Your online life, permanent as a tattoo” by Juan Enriquez was one that resonated highly
with me. The most interesting point he made was that big data, tattoos, immortality, and the Greeks were all in the same category because of their permanence. This concept alone had the most impact on me because again, while I knew that technology could have negative effects, I never wrapped my head around just how permanent my data footprint was.

Additionally, Catherine Crump’s Ted Talk “The small and surprisingly dangerous detail the police track about you”, en her description of just how much we are being surveilled was incredibly eye opening to me. 

I have always been someone who did not have much care for my data being collected. I always thought
that since I am not doing anything wrong, nothing will happen to me. I can confidently say now that I no longer feel this way. Catherine Crump describes the story of an elderly man who was tracked because he went to lawful political protests to draw. If he was surveilled when doing nothing wrong, what is stopping the same outcome from happening to me and my loved ones?

After learning this information, I question how the government does not feel inclined to help. This article by The New York Times explained the current state of the privacy laws in our country. As you can see from the map provided, there are so many different rules and regulations it makes it nearly impossible for anyone to keep track. This article also did a nice job of explaining how many states do not require companies to notify you when gathering and selling your personal information, including your health. 

The biggest thing that we can do to protect ourselves from the ever growing world of surveillance is accumulate knowledge. By informing ourselves of what is happening, we can be more cautious with the data footprint we leave behind. Continuing to spread knowledge and awareness is the only way to combat these issues.