BY HIMANSHI GAUNIYAL
Whenever we talk about privacy and its invasion it usually freaks us out. It is really very important for us to understand how important our data and its privacy is.
The European Union imposed strict laws of privacy over tech companies and social media networking sites such as famous ones like Google and Facebook. Why are these privacy laws implemented? To ensure data security as data security and it’s privacy was one of the major agendas proposed by Apple for its marketing purpose.
Our data is something that defines us a lot and can be weaponized against us if needed, so it is high time to understand how important our data and its privacy is.
Understanding Data
First, let’s understand how these companies are using our data and why there is this issue where people are debating over privacy and related issues:
-So it may be surprising but these companies are tracking your data for since long and you don’t even get an idea about it.
- You can't even imagine what kind of conclusions they can draw about you, it can be creepy and it can be true also.
- Talking about the famous two tech companies Google and Facebook, google has been a trustworthy partner but Facebook has invaded your privacy quite a few times. Invasion is not defined as something when data is shared among you and the company but is defined as the one when the company shares it with others without your consent.
Your services help them track you
We are spending most of our time on the web and are busy browsing a lot of stuff for us and our family. These companies are tracking your data and is observing how you are spending your time and is drawing conclusions about you.
For example: If you browse for some gym and yoga clothes, and browse for some workout online, you will observe the advertisements showing up and the related videos showing up will be related to transformations, good health and protein brands may be.
If you browse for some kids' clothes, lotions, a diaper bag, and some zinc supplements, they will draw conclusions that you are a pregnant woman who will deliver a baby after few months, so you will find all the advertisements related to that only.
If your browser about the foreign university, aboard admissions, it will draw conclusions that you are an aspirant and want to go to aboard for your studies and all the ads and other things will show up accordingly.
Now maybe it is true or maybe you got that stuff for some other one, but this is how they are drawing conclusions about you.
Now google knows everything, if you ask google to show a picture of you with your mother or with someone else if you would have shared, it will show up. It will show up with a date, place, and other details if you would have allowed those permissions. Now, here is this thing, your privacy is not invaded here as you and google are the ones who are talking and sharing all this, say in an imaginary room. It is just you asking and investigating the data that you shared with them. Saying it again, google doesn’t share information whereas Facebook has done it quite often.
Threat to your Private Data
If the data we share with companies leaks, what will happen, imagine your girlfriend caught that you searching for cheating or double dating tips on google, or something that you just want to be with you is leaked, how will you feel? This is the threat, threat to your private data. We all have a huge network of browsing and interaction, what if these tech companies get hacked someday and lose all our private information to some bad hands, our information can be used for various purposes, far beyond our imagination.
CONCLUSION Legislators working and introducing data privacy laws is a major step for the betterment of our security. We just can’t stop companies from collecting our data, as they are availing us of a lot more things beneficial to us. It makes it quite easier for us too, to achieve the desired goal. But yes, we have the full right to know which information is being collected and where it has been given, and if not comfortable, we should have the right to take it back. These laws may be a nightmare, as it will require companies to take proper care and build good management for balancing, but it is something that is required. Big companies need to clarify their limits and what they can do with respect to your personal information, they should make the conditions very clear on which they will require invading your private information and try to make it transparent.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Himanshi is a botany student and a content writer, who is enthusiastic about discovering new fields, studying commerce and the environment. Passionately learning new things and working on her development everyday.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.
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