A Simple Intro
“We’ll move much faster than any government.”
– Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google 2001-2011
The conveniences of tech suddenly thrust into our lives present a new world not yet experienced in our known human existence; a world where our emotions are directly affected by the number of likes and attention received online in a given day; a world where all of our privacy is surrendered, with little or no concern towards the issue. The rebuttal of “I have nothing to hide!” is exhausted and displays an ignorance on the subject of residual data[1] (“leftover” data). Our data- what we willingly and unwillingly give away to these websites- are worth more than we have been led to believe. We have all been successfully targeted by Big Tech as we become more and more complacent in their extraction of the data goldmine that is the everyday human. With the new wave of virtual life that has stemmed from the pandemic, the need for data education and better privacy practices is dire, especially in America, who is inexcusably far behind other world powers when it comes to the conversation of a citizen’s right to privacy.
The practice of data collection does not come to a surprise to many people in 2021. In fact, many folks have become used to the idea of giving an app or website personal information in exchange for the “free” service. Data collection is inevitable these days, and it really does make sense for a company to have the desire to understand their clientele better. However, it is the predictive power of data that is the actual goldmine. I like to think about the Kroger app and how great it is to be able to have a hub that includes my personal Kroger account with my shopping points, a grocery list section, and the ability to shop with my fingers and pickup the order without leaving my car just a few hours later. I voluntarily gave them my name, phone number, and credit card info in order to use their service, but this is not the concerning data I am talking about. (well, it is concerning data because it contains highly personal information that we hope the company will not (a) sell to third parties or (b) get hacked one day) My point here is that the data voluntarily given is only scratching the surface of data that is actually provided to these entities. The core ethical issue here is that the population is unaware of the data that is extracted from their simple usage of a technological thing and that there is no regulation behind these evil practices. Not only is this concerning from the standpoint of how valuable, how extraordinarily, unbelievably valuable this information is- data collection practices affect mass civilizations when there is not proper democratic control of the rampant indestructibility that Big Tech gains. Our democratic process falls behind the fast paced, ever changing tech world.
I personally do not want internet companies to have mass collection powers. What if this information gets into the wrong hands? We already know that data is sold to third party after third party after third party, and no one wants to take responsibility when information gets out. This issue must be resolved by democratic means. Applicable policies do not exist. (Yeah, okay, sure. We have “policy”[2] from the 1980s based on the movie War Games, PRE-Internet. They do not count). New policy and legislation must be implemented in order to protect the individual’s right to privacy. America is a country that promotes freedom and rights…why are we so far off the path of a healthy, protected virtual environment? As our offline and online selves increasingly become one, the need for virtual laws and rights is inevitable.
The PATRIOT ACT[3] ushered in a new chapter of the talk about privacy. September 11th allowed for mass implementation of surveillance programs, unbeknownst to the average American. America became a nation so rightfully terrified of terrorism that it felt the need to begin to ruthlessly spy on each and every citizen. CCTV popped up everywhere, cell phones became widely accepted and improved upon at a rate that would even leave Moore’s Law[4] speechless, computers became tinier and tinier as they merged with cell phones, and these little computers complete with an immensely powerful microphone and camera found themselves owned by millions of Americans with seemingly little hesitation to take on the new tech. Just like magic. I am twenty-two years old and I do not remember a life before 9/11- a life before the mass implementation of surveillance capitalism.
As I reflect upon the wide acceptance of Big Tech, I cannot help ponder over the information collected about me that I did not willing give away. Data is inevitable in the digital age, but ethical technology must be enforced in order to protect our digital future. Regulation must be enacted against data collected and the internet advertising that stems from it. My simple existence in this technological, data driven age is giving unethical tech companies too much money and power in a society that should be ruled by democratic law. Our democratic process is good because it takes time, but tech does not sit around and wait. Its advancement is seemingly unfathomable for our government to keep up with. There must be a change in consensus towards technology if we want our digital future to be protected instead of infringed upon by unethical tech. This can be achieved by promoting proper tech practices that help build increased awareness towards the realization of the true value of our data. This strategy of mass implementation of user awareness requires access to knowledge about the practices and measures that unethical tech legally gets away with, obtained by communication of these entities and what is actually happening with our information. This is deemed difficult, however, when these Big Tech companies hold the key to the services that we use to communicate in 2021. Obtain knowledge, spread this knowledge, and boycott mainstream media.
[1] Data that is left behind unknowingly from simple use of a service (clicks, location, etc.)
[2] Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) of 1984
[3] “This act allowed various government agencies, such as law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and national security agencies to share data with one another. The law also allows law enforcement to get warrants in any jurisdiction where terrorism has occurred, conduct investigations without informing the suspect, and conduct electronic surveillance of suspects without their consent…The Act authorizes the government to access all communications of American citizens online, and has even been used to conduct surveillance against individuals who are not American citizens or who live abroad. The individuals most frequently targeted by the PATRIOT Act are people of colour, especially those who also identify as Muslim.” source
[4] Moore’s law is the observation that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles about every two years source