Internet Privacy & Sycophants

   

    The issue of Internet privacy has been a source of concern for many since the dawn of the web's invention. Would it become a tool by which the entirety of our lives could be tracked online?With the advancement in recent software technology, the issue is more relevant now, in our times, than ever before. Past generations did not have to worry about their personal information being shopped around online via data collection or subtle breaches in privacy. In this new information age, it is quite ironic that the masses at large are largely uninformed about the eerie availability of their and others' personal details. With every electronic signature or checkbox agreement, we sign away our rights to privacy.

      While it is legally decreed that websites should give people the option of opting out of data collection practices, Internet websites such as Facebook automatically sign up your account for data collection. It is then up to the account holder to navigate through several menu tabs and find the proper tools to opt out. It is an ingenious way by which such websites circumvent the law. As long as you have the choice and option to opt out, they can't be held liable when one becomes a victim of data collection. Furthermore, most of us are unaware of what we consent to when we check that box in agreement to the terms of agreement. We promptly scroll past the block of texts, eager to start our journey. Unfortunately, by doing so, we doom our journeys from the start. By not paying attention to the website's specific policies, you are in effect blindly signing a legally-bounding document. Thus, any future complaints on your part about what you may view as the website's fraudulent practices hold no weight. It is something I myself am guilty of. Sadly, I predict that it's a behavior that, for us all, has become an ingrained habit.

    This article from the New York Times perfectly highlights the issue of tricky terms of agreement. In the article, it is stated that Instagram holds the right to use your posted pictures and very identity in advertisements, without your knowledge. It can't be said that this would be done without your consent, as this agreement term is present in the list of terms of agreement. What's more the only way you can opt out of these terms is to completely delete your Instagram account. In truth, this is the case for all websites. If you don't agree to even one single term, then you are unable to use the software/website. There should be a way for potential customers to give feedback to the website about their terms of agreement. In a perfect business practice, the voice of the customer is always heard. However, websites do not give that option to their customers. Take for example Facebook's constant renovation of its website's template. No matter how loudly Facebookers protest, Facebook lends a deaf ear and continues its practices. Furthermore, such frequent renovation often undoes a user's privacy settings. As such, a Facebook user again has to navigate the menu tabs and fix the privacy settings.

    There are several other Internet privacy issues in existence. Cookies saved on websites such as Google are able to track your search history and in turn recommend things that may be of interest to you based on aforementioned searches. Still, the main issue that has plagued Americans recently is the fact that the government itself is spying on us without our consent. When somebody tries to bring to light the government's immoral practices, said person is persecuted. This is the world we occupy. As much as we may feel that we have full control over our Internet lives, that simply is not the case. There are other forces at play that dictate exactly how we are going to use the Internet. Big Brother is watching you. And in turn so is the rest of the population.

    We live an increasingly virtual life. Texts, e-mails, Facebook, Instagram, Vine. This is how we've begun to communicate to our world. Communication is the key to life. Without it, there is no civilization. We're becoming mere HTML codes in the grand scheme of things and this new virtual reality. Everything we do is permanently frozen in the interwebs, no matter if later we choose to delete our actions. Any of our online actions is out there forever, waiting for the opportune time until its fossil is rediscovered as a means by which our life can then be dissected, analyzed and preserved. Andy Warhol once said that in the future everybody would have their fifteen minutes of fame. It seems we are heading in such a direction where every single Internet user now is able to leave a legacy, even unwittingly. There is no more privacy. To the government, to website companies, we're just sycophants.