Internet and privacy- how much is too much?
In todays culture, internet privacy and cancel culture is one of the most prevalent issues. In the videos we watched in class, I was haunted by the amount of rights we lose when we sign contracts- willingly and unwillingly- with social media and technology. I always knew that social media companies use what we search on their sites for advertising data, but I wasn't aware of the listening aspect until recently. The fact that Amazon Alexa listens nonstop, and records everything it hears, is very worrisome. It's actually programmed to listen if an argument or altercation is taking place and will call the police or try to intervene. I don't remember signing a contract saying that they can record everything I say, but one could also argue that its assumed when you purchase a product.
The thing that freaked me out the most, is when I downloaded the social media platform Tiktok. The concept of the "for you page" is troubling, because there is an algorithm that detects what you would like to watch based on your likes and search history. This in itself, is harmless, and is just trying to make the user experience better. The extent of this algorithm, however, extends beyond search history. I have heard and experienced situations where I would search something up on a different browser on my phone, and a tiktok related to that search would show up on my "fyp". Even worse, I won't search up anything related to a topic, but will talk about it with my friend in person, and something will show up on my page. This is a blatant, creepy, violation of our rights to privacy.
One of the best ways to stop this, besides just getting a flip-phone, is to get a VPN. VPNs block certain software from accessing information on your device such as search history. The best VPNs can even change your IP address to say that the device is in any part of the world. This confuses the algorithms and makes it more difficult for one to track said device.
That being said, the only true way to avoid getting your privacy rights violated is to ditch all technology, and go live in a cabin in the woods and survive off the land...
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