Privacy On and Off

 

Flock cameras trigger backlash nationwide over privacy concerns of the American people.

Privacy is something we were taught to respect since we were kids, but at what point does that make us naive against others disrespecting ours?

Watching Catherine Crump's Ted Talk detailing the mass surveillance the police and government has gained on the American people had me thinking of how this unethical practice came about and ultimately affected someone like me, an innocent student who hasn't done anything to permit spying against me.

She spoke about the use and growing popularity of automatic license plate readers or ALPRs, used to track cars wherever they go. Police collecting location data on millions of people daily, not just criminals. Your travel history gained from these can reveal personal details about your life and how citizens privately interact.

If the NYPD is using this technology is tracking people who are attending religious mosques, what stops them from tracking my religious habits and creating judgements about my life to push an agenda, feeding me what I want to hear as a strategic algorithm?

In response, the government should create stronger privacy laws on how much personal data is collected and keep tabs on officials since it has become a regular problem of law enforcement taking advantage and using this technology as a personal device. 

In a way, if the government can't prevent some issues arising with the American people being watched daily, what can only be assumed is that we as the people can do something about it. A Ted Talk I watched in class titled, Juan Enriquez: Your online life, permanent as a tattoo, highlighted some ideas that individuals can do or look out for when they are online. 

We can protect ourselves by thinking carefully before posting online, limiting the personal information we share, using privacy settings, and remembering that our digital footprint can last forever. Enriquez compares online information to a permanent tattoo, reminding us that what we do online today may affect our future.

As learned in class, when the first party (yourself) voluntarily gives information to a second party, the first party relinquishes all control over third party downstream.

AI Disclosure: No AI was used in the making of this blog post.