Internet Privacy

[marle]

Is anyone here concerned about internet privacy? It seems clear that privacy is eroding. I for one don't know why there is so much concern about government spying when it's clear that private companies are doing most of the data gathering on us. Companies like Facebook are building catalogs of our faces so that facial recognition software can identify us. Google your name and you will likely come across "People Finder" websites with all kinds of data on you like age, location and possible internet aliases.

Is this loss of privacy a threat? Will shy people fare better or worse under this new reality relative to other people? I for one currently have less of a footprint online, particularly under my real name because I'm involved in fewer activities than the average person. I'm "tagged" in way fewer photos, and I've never attended wild parties (to give a stereotypical example). However, I'm also tempted to share more of myself online (like on this forum) because I have so few opportunities to do so in real life. If the loss of online privacy starts to affect our "anonymous" personas (like posting under usernames) than that is really worrisome.

Anyone else have concerns?

[Grayback]

I do share some of your concerns Marle and it is one of the reasons I absolutely refuse to use sites such as Facebook or Twitter and anything else along those lines. I simply don't want any mistake made in the past to be used against me in the present.

I can see some good coming from it, such as people who are being really nasty on forums/blogs/social medias, safely hidden behind a pseudonym. It would certainly be good for some to realize that the people that they harass/threaten/demean can strike back in some way and hold those responsible accountable just as they would be in real life.

On the other hand and this is what I fear could happen is some form or another of blind justice, the kind which does not take into consideration the circumstances behind the outburst/incident/however you wish to call it. That's something that is taken into account in real life but on the Internet it might very well not be.

As for corporations being the ones we should be more concerned about, I don't entirely agree. Corporations for the most part are only interested in one thing : Profit, and as such any data gathering they do is made towards that goal and as such I feel they're fairly predictable. Governments on the other hand are a bit less so in their goals even if they will always use the excuse of national security to justify their actions.

[silence]

I always used to go with the thought of well I'm not doing anything wrong so why be worried. Although I do download a lot and that is definitely illegal...

Yeah I don't have to worry too much about Facebook I do have one but I only have a few of my cousins on it. I do think I have been tagged in some wedding photos but the thing I'm most worried about there is how bad I look in them.

I have shared my location on sites like this but only because I'm like to be able to meet people close to me. I don't think my real name is here I hope not anyway!

I did look at the people finder websites and yeah I'm there. It is slightly outdated information though.

I think I have had my mobile number sold to companies because I've been having a few cold calls lately and that is really annoying.

The fear does make me want to share less personal information and think twice about what I say but I don't necessary think that's a bad thing for me.

[marle]

What I'm concerned with when it comes to companies gathering data, is that some of them will share that data with whomever. It is those websites that people can use to look up information on anyone. The stuff out there right now is probably rudimentary compared to what it will be like in the future.

It's not just what we post on social media sites. Information is being gathered about our web browsing and online shopping habits. Basically, there is the potential for our innermost selves being revealed through this data gathering. There may be websites that post this information out there for no other reason than to get ad clicks. Or so goes my fear.

I'm less concerned about what the government knows because I don't think they will share this information. But if a company thinks they will profit, they will share it with anyone.

Combine these data repositories with facial recognition technology, and a stranger on the street could know quite a bit about you, in an instant.

I recommend this video by 60 Minutes about data gathering.

Anyway, sorry to share my paranoia about this. I think the loss of privacy is inevitable to some extent.

[Grayback]

I definitely understand what it is you're worried about and why you are worried about it Marle but I do believe that as the data gathering gets progressively worse, more and more people will come to realize that they'll have to be more careful about what they post/say online. In fact, I've already seen new training courses here and there springing up around those very notions. Of course, people will also need to adapt to the fact that the Internet isn't going to be the anonymous space it used to be but I imagine someone will come along and create a virtual place for people that want to protect their data and remain anonymous, it might even become the next Facebook .