Technology is a useful tool. We can connect with people from around the world and send a message instantaneously. With anything in life, there is a downside. In today's age, it can be clearly seen some of those behind the beloved tools used in technology have a bad streak in them. Web browsing cookies, site tracking for better ad recommendations, your social media posting data stored in servers, surveillance, license plate tracking, cell tower dumps--cell phone tracking, wiretapping (100 years in the making), personal pictures posted without permission. Sadly, I could elaborate on this list.
It seems there is better awareness of this fact today, ad recommendations have data sent to their algorithms to provide prevalent ads depending on what you search and post. Just because there is awareness, does not mean anyone is changing this truth. When I ventured on Google Analytics one day to see the hype of this function, I was able to see data that was surprising yet not at the same time. Demographics ranging from age, gender, interests, location...etc!
Everything--everything we post, like, share is tracked. This is not the only thing limited to being tracked--our license plates are as well. There is a guy named Mark who was able to gain access to how his car was being tracked via license plate. Not only was his license plate number recorded in text, but a picture of his plate and where the care was seen. One picture was of him and his family getting out of the car at their own home. If this does not insight questions and protest of this kind of action of innocent people, I do not know what would.
It gets "better". Phones can be manipulated in multiple ways to penetrate your privacy. Location, tapping, tower dumps. These examples and more are being done every day. We knowingly or unknowingly allow this to happen. Some through agreements signed we never read, or by simply having no idea our phones have the potential to be tapped into while talking to a family member. Apps that parents have on their phones such as "Find my iPhone" or "Find my Friends" to see where their children are through their phones, the government has their own version of phone location. Tower dumps are one way on a broad scale to accomplish this.
Now, none of these facts are written to provoke panic or paranoia, but awareness and acknowledgment of what is happening in our world today some may not know to be true. I am thankful to find out about this whether some were old or new to me. Hope you, reader, feel the same.
Resources:
Week 11: Privacy On & Off: 4 TEDTalks
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