The Myth of Online Privacy

    I try not to think about online privacy too much, because it can honestly be overwhelming. I don't like thinking that all my information is tracked and stored. I have been on the internet almost my whole life. Only now am I beginning to consider the scope of the data stored. I think it is easier to sit back and be in ignorant bliss about privacy. So, I am taking this blog post to challenge myself and reflect on how I can do better to protect my data and how I can call for corporations and the government to do likewise. 

    I have long been told to be mindful of what I post online. My parents closely monitored my social media

posts and interactions. That goes well with Jaun Enriquez's idea of an electronic tattoo. These are permanent data pieces that provide information about who and what you are. Likewise, our phones have facial recognition and thumb print scanners that are stored and even shared to the government. That means we cannot hide from the immense facial recognition technology. A website called Face. com has 18 billion faces, all of which were sold to Facebook. This essentially means we are getting closer to immortality because our data will outlive us. 

    Sticking with the vein of mass surveillance Catherine Crump enables police departments to gather information about much of us in new ways. Police are able to make decisions about who they think we are based on our information. They have photos of us doing everything- even if we have not done anything wrong. The police hang onto it just in case the data could be useful one day. 

    Christopher Soghoian points out that our cell phones were first and foremost designed to be surveillance devices, but developers in Sillicon Valley have created encryption software to prevent this. Government officials are mad because the encryption features are turned on by default, keeping them from being able to listen at any point. Without this encryption, wiretapping does not discriminate. It can listen to my phone as easily as a drug dealer's phone. In the future police, will have a harder time catching bad guys but the alternative is that anyone can be wiretapped by people with bad intentions.

    The notion that myself, my family and loved ones can be monitored at any point is nervewraking. Though I am doing nothing wrong, it feels like my privacy is being violated simply for monetary gain. Though, I still want it to be easy for 'bad-guys' to get caught. This makes it a safer place for my future. Still, if we let the government access our data now, as we become more dependent on technology we will loose much of our agency. 

    To be protected I think I need to be more stingy with my data. I will be making sure my devices have the encryption features turned on. Furthermore, I have been using a VPN more frequently to try and protect my data. My next steps will be phasing my browsing and work off of google apps and onto other apps. I think everyone should at the very lest clear their cookies and browsing history, if not take more steps. 

    Additionally, I think the government should allow encryption of devices to be the default of devices. Though, this would not be easy as many politicians want full access of people's data. At minimum, I think the government should stay out of our data unless they have probably cause to look into it mainly in the instance of law enforcement. 

    It is important to be an informed person about data and how the government and corporations might use it. This can allow you to be more vigilant about what you do online and take preventative measures to increase the amount of security and privacy you have.