Privacy Underestimated
Lurking in the shadows, calculating, analyzing, searching, it is silently waiting to strike. There is no privacy, no sense of self. The machine never sleeps, hoping to find valuable data. Young adolescents, teenagers, adults and even the elderly have become obsessed and addicted to the internet. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Youtube, Wikipedia, Yelp, and the millions of other sites have become so intertwined in the network of their lives, it would be nearly impossible for them to live without it. They offer such brilliant conveniences that simplify the lives of its consumers, but at what cost? Many are unaware of the behind-the-scenes networking and channeling that is going on within these websites and the internet as a whole. With every great discovery there inevitably develops the counter to its wonderful purposes. The prime instance of this occurrence is exemplified through the rampant use of data brokering and sharing. Thousands of companies gather data on its users and then sell it to others in search of profit. There is no limit, no regulation, no end. Through researching and interviewing fellow students, faculty, and staff it is apparent that they are unaware of the ever-present invasion of privacy they experience on a daily basis.
Many people do not realize that their privacy is being invaded. Julia Angwin, an investigative journalist, discovered that “privacy is becoming a luxury good” and found that many organizations sell the data they collect from their websites (If You Think You’re Anonymous Online, Think Again). Upon interviewing individuals of Baruch College, one student explained that in order to keep his online presence private he uses “incognito settings in [his] browsers” as well as a “different screen name or something not closely tied to [himself]” (John Doe). He is very opposed to anyone “tracking [his] information. Even though it still has [his] anonymity maintained, but [he doesn’t] like to be tracked. And just the thought of someone tracking how [he uses] their service or what [he’s] researching it just makes [him] feel a little bit uncomfortable” (John Doe). He fails to realize however that even though he uses incognito services, the corporations that track their consumers use the IP Address of the computer and can therefore still invade one’s privacy. While interviewing a security guard at Baruch College, she links all of her online purchases through Paypal because “Paypal is secure. [Her] account is linked with Paypal. They need [her] consent. Paypal is a secure company…[She] linked all [her] accounts through Paypal so they can not search anything…[She locked] it down…Someone stole [her] identity in the past. Everything that anybody opens in [her] name they have to call [her] first” (Jane Doe). The security guard believes that because she linked all of her accounts through Paypal she is secure and “locked down.” She did not understand that her information is still not secure, while her purchases may be secure, all of her internet searches are not. While explaining this invasion of privacy takes place on sites like eBay she responded by saying “[She doesn’t] think so” (Jane Doe). It is unfortunate and terrifying that while many people believe they are maintaining their privacy, in fact it is untrue.
Although some people are aware that companies such as Google invade their privacy by collecting their online browsing habits and personal data, most don’t seem to mind because of how useful and convenient their services are to their daily lives. Applications and services today require some personal information in order to use the services they offer. For one to connect with friends on Facebook, they need to provide personal information such as their name and what area they live in. Use Google Maps on a smartphone to get directions to a new place from home? The user must turn their GPS on and therefore satellites will track their exact location throughout the entire trip. Every website visited, every search request entered on Google search is tracked and documented. The price to pay for convenience is not money, but to provide one’s personal information to sell to businesses that want to advertise more effectively. Without sharing any personal data, companies such as Google would not be able to personalize their services to that particular person. As James Gleick points out, “If we want the best possible search results, and if we want advertisements suited to our needs and desires, we must let them into our souls” (2). Some students have been aware of this fact, but really do not seem to mind as long as it is not extremely sensitive data. When asked if they mind if their personal data are collected and shared, Marc Feller, a student at Baruch College, responded “Personal data besides my social security number and credit card information, I don’t really mind” (Feller). Many students echoed the same opinion. Iris Ruiz, a student that utilizes many of these services on a daily basis said “I don’t mind them knowing what the hell I’m searching for, as long as it is not super personal information, such as usernames, passwords, etc.” Most students that were interviewed do not mind because they do not see any harm for these companies to know what websites they visit, what they are reading at the moment, or what types of products they are looking at. For some, this type of data collection is no big deal. Majority of the subjects interviewed love the quick access to opinions and ideas online at their fingertips, and do not see any issues sharing some personal data in order to access those tools. When asked about her opinion on data collection and privacy, Katherine, a fellow student states, “I don’t have anything to hide, so even if they see some information, it’s no big deal. It is annoying seeing ads all the time though.” She understands the scope of personal data collection and she thinks “it’s really creepy, but since it’s more personalized, it makes things more enjoyable. Yeah it’s an invasion of privacy, but I think it’s fine.” Most subjects that were interviewed value the convenience and benefits of technology and easy access to information more than personal data privacy.
Judging by the interviews that were conducted and the general knowledge about what Google does with the search history of its consumers, it is clear that privacy is no longer existent on the Internet in the 21st century. However, many consumers continue to put information on these websites in hopes that it will not come back to haunt them. Will this epidemic of data collecting and sharing ever stop or will an epic breach in data security and personal information be the only way to make consumers more hesitant to put out such information? Baruch student interviewee Luciano Reyes supports this when he claims that, “If there’s people like Edward Snowden who can hack the Internet and find out everything about everybody, it going to leave people a little cautious. Until something big like that happens again and affects the masses…everyone is just going to keep putting their stuff out there.” Until something like this were to happen again and become even more monumental, it will not be taken seriously. The machine will continue to search, collect and analyzing every single thing consumers broadcast on the web. Only time will tell what real power this faceless monster holds, and what it can really do with it.
Works Cited
Angwin, Julia. “If You Think You’re Anonymous Online, Think Again.” NPR. NPR, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 21 May 2014.
Bootsri, Katherine. Personal Interview. 5 May. 2014.
Doe, Jane. Personal Interview. 15 May 2014
Doe, John. Personal Interview. 15 May 2014
Feller, Marc. Personal Interview. 5 May. 2014
Gleick, James. “How Google Dominates Us.” New York Review of Books. New York Review of Books. 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 21 May. 2014.
Reyes, Luciano. Personal Interview. 5 May. 2014.
Ruiz, Iris. Personal Interview. 5 May. 2014