Week 15

Is your Private Information Actually Private?

Earlier I talked about how its vital to keep your digital footprint clean and how to be careful not to post something you'll later regret in a few years. Well, turns out that even the posts you think only your friends can see - anybody can actually view it. And if they're smart enough they can even find old archived photos and videos that you've deleted that you thought you'd never see again. Ooops. Obviously there are screenshots of posts and photos that get spread around like its wildfire, but there are also those that will dig deep through the internet to find the hidden and small details of your life that maybe you don't want shared anymore. An example would be your search history. Even if you are browsing in private mode the websites that you have looked up are linked to a server where your internet service provider can view without you knowing and possibly leak unwanted information about you. 

In Juan Enriquez's Ted Talk he explained the metaphor really well of how the life you live virtually is like a tattoo. Permanent and sometimes regrettable. Even if we are careful about our social media image someone can take a picture of you without your knowledge and share it so others can see it. He also speaks on how big companies like Facebook will register your face and start tracking you trying to pin you down to purchase certain things. They put your face in a database and now have collectively gathered your information when you don't even know. This a total breach of privacy however we can't control what others do but such is life.

So I guess my message to you is to keep your eyes open and run away from the camera the next time you don't want to be seen in the manner that you are because if you don't you may run into a few problems later that will determine how your future goes.