"I have nothing to hide" is a phrase repeated by many who would deny the need for more digital privacy, but, over the last few years it is becoming increasingly more obvious that it's not just the naughty things we've done that we might need to worry about, Nor is it only "Big Brother" who might be watching...
The overall desire for privacy has grown exponentially in recent years, but why is this? Why, technology of course!
Never before has there been so many hundreds of different ways to harvest user's data and monitor their activity. An overused example indeed but hey, "What happens when your toaster/fridge gets hacked" is a serious question.
OK, so maybe you wouldn't consider it too greatly serious if someone was to know the contents of your fridge or the level of scorched you like your bread in the morning, but what about looking just a bit deeper? Monitoring activity on a smart fridge would be a truly excellent way for burglars to know your schedule and know exactly when they need to let themselves in to make sure your food doesn't go off when you're on holiday of course! Are you getting a bit scared yet? No? How about we delve into 𝙬𝙝𝙮 you own a smart fridge. No, I don't mean how you're always forgetting the hotdamn milk and need the fridge to tell you to get it. I'm talking about the (most probable) reason they actually exist and shocker, it's not to convenience you, that just happens to be a nice by-product. Many IoT (Internet of Things) devices like toasters, fridges, kettles etc main use is to the companies you signed that agreement with. Why? Because they are selling your data to much more sinister entities than burglars... Data Brokers.
IoT isn't the only place you get milked for that data like an old dairy cow either. Pretty much absolutely everywhere that you type in any details about yourself at all will be gathered up, packaged together in a profile with thousands, if not millions of others and sold to the highest bidder, circumstantial data suggests this is typically somewhere around the $2 mark per "profile".
If that doesn't make you even slightly upset then you're more than likely an exhibitionist. Even so, You did agree to all of these things so surely you know that and are ok with it. However, do you trust that the data broker is holding that data safely and without malicious intent? How about whoever they sell to? What about the ones you "don't have anything to hide" from? Do you trust they will always have your best interests at heart or do you believe there is a chance greed becomes involved somewhere down the line?
What can we actually do about it?
An easy answer to this would be to simply not support companies that use these methods, stop agreeing to have your data collected, start lobbying for better laws to be put in place and use more private methods of modern life (VPNs, Proxies, paying with privacy coins, etc.).
However, there is, as always, another side to the coin. As a society we enjoy many benefits from this merciless data machine, for example: the healthcare industry has begun to integrate "Big Data" into its methods to further improve the quality and efficiency of detecting health issues and applying treatments. Other benefits to the economy and businesses are obvious as proper analysation allows companies to more accurately market and develop products as well as more effectively understand what the average consumer wants.
Therein lies the data privacy dilemma, do we wish for a slightly more effective and informed healthcare system, businesses and government? Or is it more appealing to not have literally every possible silly little detail about ourselves gathered, organised, sold and sold some more until we are seen simply as the lump of coal in a mine, our own pocket paying for the miner's pickaxe?
Hopefully you have thoroughly enjoyed this article to the extent of considering leaving a tip and following for more. I will continue to be a ranting lunatic and wish you a bountiful day!
