Shedding Light with Lightbeam
The internet hosts an incredible amount of information and entertainment services that can be accessed for a variety of reasons. While we are browsing these services we are often using our personal devices and feel that we are the only ones viewing the screen that is displaying the information. Furthermore, we also frequently access the internet while we are at home, where we can be certain that we are alone and that we have our privacy.
However, many of us are familiar with privacy in terms of physical isolation but we must consider that the internet is a network that connects millions of devices. Therefore, the internet is potentially one of the least private mediums that exist based on these connections. The ability to view information no longer requires our physical presence because transactions that are occurring on a device can be monitored digitally. Thus, privacy cannot be ensured based on the details of our physical environment, but rather it is now dependent on the digital atmosphere that we inhabit.
While individuals are using the internet, websites that they access may collect certain information about them. Usually this data collection is framed as beneficial to the user because it is used to remember their preferences and therefore customizes their experience. However, what many users do not know is that in addition to the websites that they access directly, there are also several other third party websites that also gain access to their information. This data is used by companies for several reasons, but mainly they aim to profit by understanding online trends and information about users.
The web browser Mozilla Firefox has an application available that allows users to determine which websites are gathering their information online. This add on is called Lightbeam.
I downloaded the Lightbeam add on and did some fairly general internet browsing. I read an article on Vice, searched the apparel company Vans, and did some light Facebook lurking, in addition to a few other minor searches. The Lightbeam results from this brief internet session can be viewed below:
As we can see, the results are fairly staggering. Viewing 10 websites resulted in my information being shared with 133 third party websites. The information is distributed at an alarming rate and raises questions about the ethical implications of sharing user information without their direct awareness. That being said, I’m a fairly generous guy and I don’t mind if companies benefit from using my data. In fact, I am kind of flattered that there is such an interest in my online activity.
However, it is very likely that many individuals would have an issue with their personal information being dispersed and analyzed without their awareness. So, my advice is that next time you think you’re at home browsing the internet alone, be cautious, because there may be 133 other people in the room with you.