Over the past few months, I've learned a lot about how safe or vulnerable our personal information is on the Internet. Or the question should be: "How much of my personal information is there?". The answer is a lot more than you think.
Just a couple of weeks ago I was watching an episode of CBS' 60 Minutes called "The Data Brokers". According to the report, some information brokers have as many as 1,500 points of data about you. Everything from your address, gender, age, religion, etc., to less obvious things like the time you go to bed, illnesses you may have, and what medications you take regularly. How do they know all this?
Think about it for a second, every time you like or share something on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, that data is being recorded. When you visit a website, read online news, read gossip, buy something on Amazon, it's all recorded. All these data are recorded and become part of your profile. Even if you don't register anywhere, your IP address and your computer can give data brokers a clue that it's YOU... and they collect it in your profile.
Another way data about you is collected is through applications you download to your mobile phone. 60 Minutes claims that apps like Brightest Flashlight Free are nothing more than data collection apps. Yes, it gives you an amazing app that lets you use your phone as a flashlight in a dark place, but its intended purpose for the developer is to collect data. It's the same with games like Angry Bird: they let you play, and in return you share data whether you want to or not. Did you know about it? Have you ever read the Agreement they ask you to click on before downloading an app? Right there, in plain English, you agree to allow the app to collect certain data on your phone through your location and GPS locator.
Look at the App Permissions for the traffic monitoring app called “Waze”. Pay particular attention to the last section: Allow access to your calendar? An event? Confidential information? Reading your contacts? Seriously? For a traffic monitoring app?!!!
Yes, they want to know where you are at all times. They want to know where you live, where you shop, where you eat, etc.
Now that I've probably made you feel "Oh my God...I feel raped", keep in mind that this practice has been around for many, many years. First through your credit card purchases where they could learn a lot about you through your purchase history. Now they have become much more refined.
I recently started cycling around the lake in my area and I use the “Endomondo” app to calculate speed, duration, calories burned and hydration. It also follows me on a map so I can see where I've been. After completing the run, I post the event on my Facebook page and my friends comment on my post. It all seems pretty standard and innocent now, until I started getting a cycling magazine newsletter. I never subscribed to it. How could they think I would be interested? Coincidence? I don't think so. Probably Velosyped magazine is buying data from Endomondo and looking for men my age and income level who might be potential buyers. Is this fair? I think so, I have no problem with that. First, Endomondo is free, they give me access to a pretty cool app and it doesn't cost me a dime. Secondly, the cycling magazine is not a made-up connection, I actually ride a bike and I really enjoy it. And Endomondo most likely told me they were going to do it on the terms I agreed to without reading a word. For me, the easiest solution was to cancel the magazine subscription and move on. That's part of the deal.
It is important to note that companies such as Facebook and Google keep data only for themselves. Simply put, they don't share them with anyone. Their goal is to provide you with the best possible information based on what they know about you. This is their game. There is a lot of talk that the consent option should be more clearly defined, and the argument is that people don't actually consent to sharing all this data. I agree with this and each of us should also take responsibility when using all these services for free: Facebook, Twitter, Google, Apps etc. you are exchanging FREE services for your personal data.
Ask yourself: am I willing to give away a lot of personal information in exchange for a free app and free internet?
