How ‘private’ are our Private Lives?
Web-browsers and online sites have increasingly been asking me to review their privacy settings accept their newly updated Terms and Conditions. As always (and I’m sure I am not alone), I swiftly accept the Ts & Cs — without reading them — and continue browsing. Similarly, I have spent years accepting ‘cookies’ without knowing what they are or what they do. As a generation we seem to have very little knowledge about who can access our online data, web-search history and digital footprint. Maybe we should be more hesitant when accepting privacy updates and policies, and question the motives of the data protection services who claim to have our privacy as their primary objective. This post discusses just how private our online activity is, and looks at some issues related to living as digital citizens, the risks associated with storing data online and over dependency on smartphones.
How private is our online activity?
The vastness of the internet, and the ever-accelerating digital age in which we live, can be overwhelming and dangerous — especially to some of us who don’t fully understand it’s potential. It feels like we have absolutely no control over what happens online. As well as being blissfully (or not) unaware of who can access our online activity, we are constantly being targeted by companies and advertising agencies without even realising it. Cookies help websites keep track of our online activity and can be useful to us in instances such as online shopping and remembering our passwords. Although these are positive outcomes, third party cookies can be concerning as they can identify what we’re doing online.
Personalisation is based on the idea that we are more likely to be attracted to a product if the advert is eye catching on a personal level. Therefore, companies use our data to target us with personalised ads, tailored to our own personal interests. On social media sites, even though we technically choose who to follow, users of apps such as Instagram really have no control over what they’re seeing. Algorithms are used to decipher what content users are most likely to enjoy and their timelines are ordered accordingly.
Would it be too far to suggest that we are being brainwashed by the personalised advertisements that we see, especially given the amount of time spent on social media on our mobile devices? The algorithms which dictate what we see only show us what they think we are interested in. Does this narrow our minds and prevent us from seeing other articles/posts/offers which we may have been interested in but did not fit in with our previous searches? Importantly, the ads which are based on previous internet searches, limit the exposure of less popular businesses/websites as they are overridden by those already in demand. Living in an ever-expanding digital world seems to result in less control over what we see on the internet including a less accurate view of what is on offer.
Is the internet a positive thing?
Programmes such as cookies can make it easy to think that the internet is a creepy and negative thing. However, there are many positive aspects of living in a digital society. Seeing ads and offers which relate directly to what you are interested can have significant benefits, saving time as well as showing the best offers. Besides, the internet allows us to communicate quickly with people from all over the world, and provides access to an immeasurable amount of information. We can shop online, stream music on-the-go, and use location services to find directions at the click of a button. The way we live our lives has completely changed due to the smart phone which opens up so many possibilities which would be unavailable without the internet.
Everyday we depend on the internet, and many — including myself — would struggle to live without their iPhone. In fact, 55% of people voted for the smartphone as the most important invention this century. In such a small device an enormous amount of our personal information is stored: bank details, personal messages, private photos, information which can reveal our location. With this in mind, it is scary to think how vulnerable we would be if our phones were to be stolen or hacked.
Another concern is that people — especially young people — are using their smart phones more and more, which impacts face-to-face communications. We often spend our time glued to a screen watching Netflix or shut off from the world with our headphones in. In terms of relationships, there is an important difference between digital and analogue conversations. We can all agree that there is something unique about spending real time with people in the same room, an element of intimacy which cannot be achieved through technology. It must be acknowledged that technological advancements allow people to communicate with loved ones across the world, however I believe that the closeness of ‘analogue’ conversations should never be taken for granted and could never be quite replicated by technology.
I must admit that having one device which contains all the information there is to know about me, is a scary thought. The expectations of mobile phones appear to have changed dramatically; while it used to be about communicating and finding information, nowadays our whole lives are organised, stored and to some extent controlled by them.
Reflection
Throughout this module, we have explored the idea that ‘if you’re not paying for it, you are the product being sold’. This is not something I had considered before, and challenged my (perhaps rather naive) preexisting views. For example, I began questioning how apps such as WhatsApp earn their money. While we do not pay in money, perhaps we pay by giving them access to our data which they can subsequently use for their own benefit? Exploring these ideas, I have gained more of an awareness of the difference between a consumer and a customer and how the use of certain services essentially signs away our data for others to use. In the future, I will be more cautious and mindful when using ‘free’ services.
During the digilab I saw how much technology is advancing, and some of the different ways it can be used. This reminded me of an earlier lecture in which we discussed how technology was replacing the jobs of workers in manufacturing. I was struck by the realisation that technological advancements continue to replace people in the workplace, increasing levels of unemployment, especially amongst those who are uneducated. Upon further reflection I began to look positively towards the future — that as a society our jobs will change in order to keep up with the technology, and will become different rather than non-existent. I can see how technology will enable us to do things we couldn’t achieve alone, and with our wisdom and initiative we will be able to achieve even greater things. This will continue to impact the way I perceive future technological advancements.
In a Mini Mission post, one classmate wrote ‘without privacy settings you might as well have a helicopter follow you around every minute of the day’. Throughout class discussions this is now something that I am significantly more aware of. The idea that TV microphones can record our conversations, and that computer webcams can see what we’re doing is shocking and feels like a complete invasion of privacy. The capabilities — both positive and negative — of modern technology are greater than we could ever begin to imagine! Realising how exposed we can be, I began to explore how much I personally exposed myself online, undertaking a review of my facebook profile and Googling my name. This helped me to think further about how I appear online, and just how many people can find out who I am without ever meeting me.
This course also challenged me to think about the ethics behind whether we should be held accountable to our online actions (especially in instances such as the Ashley Madison hacking). Once information has been posted online, it is practically impossible to remove — our digital footprint is more permanent than we may wish, and we can be held accountable to opinions/pictures/tweets from many years ago. I am now aware that future employers may search for me during recruitment processes and that my online activity could significantly affect the way I am perceived. This further highlights the urgency of continually reviewing my online presence, especially as I enter into a time of graduating university and applying for jobs.
Overall, exploring the many different themes throughout this course has led me to identify the positive and negative potential that technology can have. I am now more aware of the risks involved with becoming digital citizens in an increasingly digital society, and with this increased awareness we can strive to limit the negative consequences. Thus, I remain positive about the future implications of a digital world and the endless possibilities that it can bring to our society.
