We're constantly under surveillance, regardless of how we behave. Is that not a little frightening? Watching Erasing David proved this in a way that I'd hardly considered before. All of the data that we contribute to the internet, through phone calls, and behind cameras is being recorded. And it can be used against us or for the benefit of someone else. Companies devote a lot of space to data about their customers/clients. If you exist, there's most likely a database with your name on it. It's frightening information, when considering how much time people spend on the Internet. It seems as though we're always connected to the web in one way or another, whether it be through our phones, our computers, or our gaming systems.
As far as I can tell, there is very little privacy involved in online interactions. It's probable that the information being recorded won't ever be uncovered or used, but it's still out there. Some companies do use it, to better attract the consumer's attention and determine who he/she is and why he/she took an interest in the company's site.
In the film Generation Like (which can be read about here), Douglas Rushkoff talks about the information that Google takes from people. It can generate who people and what they're interested in based on their Google searched, Youtube history, Gmail exchanges... basically, if it has happened on the internet, then Google knows about it and will use that information to their advantage. They don't keep it all to themselves, either. One's information can be used as a currency that can be exchanged to other companies for money and other services. Since everyone is a potential customer, everyone's information is valuable.
In Erasing David, David is disgusted by all of the information he collects on himself. Why does Amazon need to know how I felt on the 23rd of September in 2005? It certainly feels like an invasion of privacy. Especially if Google has access to the body text in one's emails. Additionally, there must be a database out there that contains text messages. People say that, whether or not one deletes it on one's phone, that stuff doesn't just go away. It opens the door to all sorts of scary possibilities. What do phone companies know about me? And why do they care?
As our society is capitalistic and consumer driven, it's likely natural that data mining happens on such a grand scale. It's another way for companies to analyze costumer related data and determine what needs to be done in order to generate more revenue. Additionally, I think that surveillance is partially used as a way to protect people. As often as people post things on the internet, criminal activity can be monitored to a certain extent. There are trigger words that policemen can search for on Twitter and other social media sites that will help them identify potential criminals.
But does it matter? Does anyone care that they're being recorded and monitored in a majority of their actions? It's a little disgusting to care about, but I don't believe that the people who know about it wish to change it in any way. It doesn't affect us in a way that we can see or feel, so it's easy to ignore. Until the invasion of privacy becomes something more immediately consequential, personal, or easy to notice, I don't anticipate much will be done about it.
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