Do We have Privacy?

"I spy with my little eye--someone 5'7" who goes to college, likes the color black, has a thing for indie music, and goes to church each Sunday."-- the American government.

After a period of time data mining, this is likely to be the specified data that the government has stored about me.

In this new age, we have access to so much technology that allows us to search and find what we want at the click of a button. We want a new sweatshirt, we got it. We want a new app, we got it. We want a new car, we got it. It’s all right there. 

The downside of all this convenience is that it comes at the expense of our personal privacy. Every search engine, every website, every application is tainted by spying malware that invades our privacy.

The worst part is that we’ve opened the door and allowed it to happen. 

Personally, I did not realize the level of detail that could be collected on individuals today. With every click, something new could be discovered and potentially commodified.

Not only through our personal devices is our privacy leaked, but through military grade software that has been put into the hands of police. 

For example, certain license plate reading technology has lo the collection of thousands of people’s sensitive data. 

That very issue was discussed in a TED Talk about the gradual scarcity of our personal privacy.

Concerning issues like these, it is very important that us as citizens know our personal rights and are more apt to read terms and conditions. 

At the very least, conducting some online research about what we’re signing up for instead of impulsively hitting “accept," can be helpful in the long term.

Additionally, reading up on recent technology and remaining informed about laws being passed in relation to technology, is another way to be on top of your personal information.