If you didn't already know, the Internet knows more about you than your own family. And it's because we've unknowingly traded our personal data in order to get back our time.
We're all guilty and yet there are things we can do to minimise out footprint online.
If you don't know how bad this invasion of privacy already is then watch this video.
And if you watched the video I suspect you're feeling a little outraged but I didn't share this to make you feel scared but rather informed.
Be Alert not Alarmed
Now, I'm not about to give up my phone anytime soon, but I don't always walk around with the GPS turned on and sometimes I even just turn my phone off.
Yeah, apparently you can do this with a small button on the side.
So when was the last time you turned your phone off?
Try it, and that FOMO feeling soon subsides, i promise, and you'll be ok.
Fortunately, we still have control over these devices, because they all need power and we control that, but in the future all these gadgets will be charged from a wireless station, then what?
Will they still provide an 'off' button so we can disconnect from the grid?
However, while the internet things is still a while away, your privacy is already being compromised via your online search and emails if you use gmail or hotmail.
Yes, they actually read your emails to determine what advertising strategy they'll use to help make a sales conversion. And when I say 'they', I don't mean people are reading your emails, but rather complex AI computers, who can already predict your future based on your past behaviour.
Now I've mentioned about Facebook privacy issues in a previous post, but didn't touch on Google who are just as bad.
Fun Fact: Google's Motto use to be "Don't be Evil" which was pretty cool and helped them gain your trust.
So why did they drop that motto in 2015?
Maybe they didn't want to be hypocrites as they dive deeper into your personal data.
Anyway I've started to use Search Engines that don't track your data.
Yes companies like DuckDuckGo are trying to hand back your privacy. Read more about them here.
But if you can't bare to leave Google Search then at least use Incognito mode to limit the tracking of your search history. Just hit 'Ctrl+Shift+N' and chrome will open a new private Incognito window for you to use. (apparently)
And on the plus side when you visit an online store, you won't continue seeing the same ad following around the internet, in the hope you'll go back and make that purchase, even if you have already. :-P
Now this won't be last time I rant about 'Internet Privacy' because this rabbit hole is soooooo deep.
And being informed is the best weapon I can offer, but what you do with this information is entirely up to you.