Internet Privacy: Why should it bother you ?

Source : Venn Diagram - Privacy vs. the Internet" by chinagrrrl

With Internet and digital technologies becoming all pervasive, it is important for everyone to be aware about privacy issues emanating from their voluntary and involuntary engagement with the ubiquitous digital world. Today not only it is much easier to collect metadata about individuals, with the growing power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is increasingly becoming much simpler to connect the dots. Should citizens be worried? Absolutely!   To illustrate the point, I would like to lead my readers to the following three stories that have appeared in the press in the last few months:

Story 1: Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder, Warns People To Get Off Facebook
Story 2: Goodbye, Chrome: Google’s Web browser has become spy software
Story 3: Google is Listening to Your Conversations, Why People Don't  Trust Big Tech

With privacy being declared as a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution in India, the idea that one has no control over their personal information — which can seamlessly pass between companies and governments without any legal safeguards — is highly conflicting and potentially hazardous. It has been argued by some that the very foundations of a free and democratic society are being challenged due to this all pervasive "behind the scenes" surveillance [3].   

So what can you do ? Well as most of this intrusion is passive i.e. you are being watched by others without your consent, there is little that one can do unless laws change. At a personal level however, you can try these 9 Simple Steps To Protect Your Privacy On The Internet.

Al Gore issues a clear warning in the following words: 

"In the digital era, privacy must be a priority. Is it just me, or is secret blanket surveillance obscenely outrageous?" ~Al Gore 

For if we give up or trivialize this fight, however impossible it might seem, the following words of Benjamin Franklin would hold absolutely true:  

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

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[1] Like use of social media, mobile apps etc
[2] Like CC TV cameras on street corners, online tracking by businesses etc
[3] Allegations that Cambridge Analytica using personal Facebook data helped influence elections