Is Your Online Privacy Dead?

In this episode, we delve into the pressing question that's been on everyone's mind: Is online data privacy a thing of the past? Join us as we navigate the intricate web of digital landscapes and dissect the factors contributing to the evolving state of our privacy in the online realm.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that Darnley confronts the challenging realities of the digital age. Is online data privacy truly a relic of the past, or can we still carve out spaces where our personal information remains secure? Tune in and become part of the dialogue shaping the future of our digital privacy.

Transcript

EP 62 – Is Your Online Privacy Dead?

Episode Recap:

·      Why is your online privacy dead?

·      Google’s lawsuit against incognito mode, why most people don’t care

·      Protecting your online privacy, is it worth the energy?

Why is your online privacy dead?

·      To quote Mark Zuckerberg text messages between 2003-2005 and reported by Business Insider in 2010, betten Mark and a friend. When this friend asked how Mark was able to manage collecting over 4,000 emails, pictures, address. Mark said people submitted it and they “trust him” by ending the message with “Dumb F—ks”

·      Was this foreshadowing for the future? From Facebooks constant apologies through every stumble block this should have been a red flag over how users privacies would be handled by them and other major data giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. 

·      I’ll make it clear here and now - privacy is not dead it just available for the taking. 

·       Understand that the concept of online privacy is complex and multi-faceted. Online privacy concerns continue, and individuals and businesses may face unique challenges in maintaining complete 100% privacy. I’ll discuss some considerations here but please understand there is no one simple band-aid solution. If there was, I would have told you already! Here are some data collection considerations:

o   Data collection by companies – many organizations, online services, and platforms collect your data for various reasons, such as advertising, user experience, or analytics. This impacts of this is that these corporations amass loads of personal information that you may not fully understand what they are doing with it. 

o   Social Media – these little buggers encourage users to share personal information. Users should be aware of the information you share and adjust privacy settings. If you really want encouragement, remember what Mark said. 

o    Data Breaches and Security Incidents – Data breaches happen, all the time, and if you are an avid listener to Darnley’s Cyber Café, you will completely understand this. These breaches expose sensitive information and when organizations experience breaches it can lead unauthorized access and sharing of your private information. 

o   Emerging Technologies – they may be cool, easy to use, and give you a layer of protection. However, advances in facial recognition, biometrics, and A.I. raise concerns of erosion of privacy. Recall Episode 59 when I compare Netflix’s Black Mirror to real life. Unfortunately, some of these concepts are becoming reality. 

o   Country Regulations – some countries such as the European Union have implemented privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), these sorts of protections give individuals greater control over their personal data. The enforcement of this varies which means the effectiveness can be watered down. 

o   Cookies – Cookies are nice but eating too much is not good for your health. Same goes for your online privacy. Cookies are used by websites as trackers about your online behaviours, you can take steps to limit cookie collection while browsing. 

o   VPN – Virtual Private Networks help enhance your online privacy while using encrypted communication. Not all VPNs are created equal.

o   Read Terms of Service – wait, who reads this? We all should, organizations do sometimes state what data they collect and what you are agreeing to. These are ways where organizations can protect themselves from being sued. 

·      Speaking of being sued…

Google’s lawsuit against incognito mode, why most people don’t care.

·      At the time of this podcast recording Google settled a $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking users. This lawsuit was filed in June 2020 that alleged that the company misled users by tracking their surfing activity who thought that their internet use remained private when using the "incognito" or "private" mode on web browsers. The settlement terms were not disclosed. 

·      The plaintiff’s claimed that Google violated federal wiretap laws and tracked users activities using Google Analytics to collect information when in private mode. 

·      If you ever read the message in Google Chrome, clearly states that their activity might still be visible to websites you visit – visible to your employer, school, or internet service provider. Incognito mode or privacy mode simply gives the users to search the internet without the activity being logged on the browser. 

·      According to the ruling of U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, "Google's motion hinges on the idea that plaintiffs consented to Google collecting their data while they were browsing in private mode," "Because Google never explicitly told users that it does so, the Court cannot find as a matter of law that users explicitly consented to the at-issue data collection

·      Understandably that most people do not read these things and make assumptions about how their data is collected and used. This makes the whisy-washy terminology vague for users and having no real back and white definition on privacy is one of the many reasons of user data leakage. The million-dollar question is that do people really care about this?

·      I can state various reasons why people don’t care, but I can tell you that most people deep down understand they are signing away their privacy rights to use their fancy devices and platforms. What do you do it? Do you value your privacy as much as you want to admit?

·      This is a big pill to swallow, I understand, technology has connected us in ways that Nikola Tesla dreamed about back in the 1900’s. Humans are social creatures and we need to interact with other people to belong. However, if you think about this for a quick second, isn’t this twisting our arm? Trust me, I experience this when getting the latest technology and debating of installing a certain app on my smartphone – is the benefit outweighs the privacy violation? If by installing and limiting the apps access to my device, will I still be able to get the experience without these features turned on? Probably not. 

·      It is very easy to turn a blind eye to all of this, as long as everyone you know are blissfully ignorant and doing the same thing, right? Speaking of Netflix, have you watched the docudrama Social Dilemma – would be worth your time. It is a little concerning and honestly not surprising on how these companies not only mine and sell your data but they have created their systems to make you addicted to their platform. 

Protecting your online privacy, is it worth the energy?

·      We understand that online privacy is important and all, but is it really worth your time, energy and head-space? This is for you to decide and do not take my word for it. 

·      Our younger generation have already been indoctrinated in giving away their data to online masters without giving it a second thought. Hackers and cybercriminals are enjoying the fruits of their labour by making them fall victims to their scams. Not only this is targeted to our younger humans but senior and middle age too. No one is immune these days. 

·      You need to think about all the devices, platforms, or apps that can and will be taking data away from you. Just because you haven’t fallen victim does not mean you never will. 

·      By implementing browsers that do not collect tracking cookies, VPNs that encrypt your online browsing, reading the collection agreements from websites, and thinking about the bigger picture can elevate your understanding of how data is being collected from you. 

·      I cannot tell you what you should do or not do, but my warning to all my listeners is that this landscape is changing: these tools are getting increasingly intelligent, and cybercrime is only going to elevate in levels we haven’t seen yet. Your online privacy is now more important than ever – it is never too late to stop, slice off the head of the serpent now and make changes. Even the smallest change can add up over the years. Between corporations, governments, cyber criminals and enemies are all clawing to get your data on their platforms. Understand that this could indeed be an addition, but to use the platforms with moderation. This is worth your attention and energy and I wish for you to heed this warning and many others in my industry are giving you. 

·      Data security is still paramount, but the strong belief for data privacy is pretty much dead.