Blog #4

 Privacy

We all have been lectured by our parents, teachers, and other adults in our lives about the importance of watching what we post online, because it is permanent.  However, I think that as a society we need to take that more seriously, because the consequences can be massively life altering.  I liked how Juan Enriquez explained that the things we post are like online tattoos, because I feel like this can be put into perspective even better for us.  I took away from the video that social media and other online sources talk for you and give you an image even when you don't want them to.  The comparison to tattoos makes perfect sense, because you should watch what you post, because anyone has access to it... if you don't want your parents seeing it, it shouldn't be posted!  Just like tattoos as well, online media that you or the people you care about post can create an image that gives others the opportunity to judge you.  Whether these posts were taken out of context or if emotions ran high and you just weren't thinking when posting, news travels so fast and these kinds of things can stay with you forever.  Therefore I think that people, especially our generation, should really think long and hard about what they post, because even if it's not a physical tattoo it can still stay with you and taint your image forever.

Our social media and online activity isn't the only thing being watched by others.  In Catherine Crump's TED Talk, she explains how police departments across the country have been using mass location tracking devices, such as license plate readers, in order to track where people go on a day-to-day basis.  This originally was used for the purpose of keeping tabs on people who were doing something wrong, however it has now stretched to everyone, no matter your criminal history.  I think that this is a complete invasion of privacy and I think that state governments should all have laws forcing police departments to delete the data taken by these mass location tracking devices, unless they are used for the purpose of keeping track of people who are actually in the wrong.  I don't think it's fair that we should have to watch what we do and where we go.  I feel targeted and don't really see any benefits of watching every person's location.  In a sense I feel like this labels everyone as a bad guy and causes an uncomfortable relationship with law enforcement, who, in reality, we should trust a lot.

In regards to our online presence, I didn't think that there was much we could do in order to protect ourselves from having others eavesdrop on our texts, calls, etc.  It freaks me out that when creating telephones, the first priority was surveillance.  This is bizarre to me, because I feel like we should have privacy and it feels as though someone is always watching, capitalizing on what we say, even when it's confidential.  I believe that our country doesn't make it a priority to protect us, but instead feels that people are always doing something life-altering, and they feel that they need to capture it.  Even though this gives me an uneasy feeling, I was relieved to be told by Christopher Soghoian in his TED Talk that using iMessage, FaceTime, and WhatsApp is the best way to not be watched.  It was eyeopening to me, because I assumed that there was no way to protect ourselves, because all companies wanted to use this surveying technology.  However that is not the case, and some businesses do want to protect your privacy.  Therefore, I suggest using the apps I listed above in order to protect yourself from people inside and outside of this country.  I understand why people want to survey others, especially with the threat of danger always looming, yet I think that we can go about it a different way.  I think that companies should develop a way to put people on the government and local law enforcements' radars, if these people are discussing topics or making threats that could put others in danger.  Yet, I want to emphasize that I don't think it's right to survey everyone, especially the innocent, but I don't think that we should completely eliminate surveillance, but instead tighten these systems up. 

We all have heard the saying money makes the world go around and Andy Yen proved this again in his TED Talk.  He explored how big named online companies, like Google and Yahoo, use email servers to access our emails in order to gear their advertisements towards specific audiences.  The most effective way to find out how old we are, what we like and dislike, who we interact with, and what we talk about in order to get us to buy products is finding out this information through emails.  There are numerous steps that need to be taken, but I think the most important ones are to use a different platform which encrypts data from our emails and to develop an internet which has privacy as its default.  If we band together and use programs like ProtonMail and donate towards groups who are trying to develop new ways to protect our privacy on the internet, we should eventually be able to feel safe on the internet and have limited fears on what people can and cannot see.  It's our information and it is up to us to support those who are trying to protect it.

Finn Myrstad opened my eyes to how easy it is for app companies to access our data and information.  People in our generation dislike reading, especially when they view it as pointless.  I know many of us, including myself view apps' Terms and Conditions as being pointless to read and we mark the check box anyways without reading it fully or at all.  This may not seem like it is a big deal, but I learned that it actually is, due to the fact that you can be giving access to photos and information related to topics- without knowing so.  These companies defend themselves by saying that consumers are giving permission and this privacy issue isn't their fault.  However I have to agree with Myrstad that this information is difficult to read and understand, so by default people just give permission.  I do it all the time, and I'm sure you do too, because you assume that giving permission can't be that awful, if almost everyone does it.  It can be awful, because the information accessed can be embarrassing and you may never know that people have access to it without being able to understand what you're consenting to.  It's a violation of privacy, because in a way without understanding, you can't truly consent.  Therefore, I believe that the government needs to crack down on apps' Terms and Conditions and force app companies to make them shorter, clear, and more concise.  As avid app users, I think that we have to keep educating one another on this problem and we need to push for more clearness in these Terms and Conditions, in order to protect our private information and to avoid it being manipulated in the future.

The final topic discussed is much more intense than the other ones I have discussed prior and it is much more personal.  Revenge porn is when ex-lovers get angry, become manipulative, and use explicit photos in order to humiliate their ex-partners.  It is extremely troubling to know that this is a lot more common than most think and that it isn't talked about enough, even though it is extremely damaging to victims, like Darieth Chisolm.  These victims deserve justice and our government is simply not doing enough, because we have hardly any laws that protect people from this malicious form of revenge.  The punishment for these acts are hardly earth shattering, even though these acts destroy lives.  People lose jobs and their reputations are damaged not only with the public, but with their spouses, children, parents, friends, etc..  This can effect all of us, as we embark into more serious relationships.  It's scary to think that relationships can change so drastically, but they do.  In order to protect ourselves, we need to push for laws that make revenge porn a crime, and ones that make the punishments more severe.  It is not enough to slap someone on the wrist and make them pay a couple of hundred dollars.  We need to act so that you or your loved ones are protected from those who can't handle when things don't go their way in a relationship.  We should all be free of fear as we break up with someone or reject someone, so we must act now and start standing up for our personal privacy in the physical and emotional senses.