What are You Hiding?: The Madness of Online Privacy

The concept of privacy has always baffled me.

My fascination is not a fruit borne from a desire to confine myself and hide my deep dark secrets. I do not feel like I have thaaaaat much to hide. Despite living in a close-knit home in the village, I did not feel like I was denied privacy even as a child.

Yes, we were all too close for comfort, and I do not like close.

However, I was also a lastborn child. I got more privacy than a normal child should have. At the risk of angering my other family members, I will claim that I raised myself to a high extent. This (not negligence) allowed me to be as I was, without eyes watching me constantly.

Of course, the psychological implication of my childhood lifestyle is an issue of its own.

But that is a story for another day.

At the time, I was only 4-9 years old. And I was in the village.

My primary sources of entertainment were books. The old folks were high school teachers, so they had a collection of almost everything, from snooty British literature and advanced chemistry volumes to farming manuals and calculus books.

(Unfortunately, I still do not have the barest grasp on differentiation and integration).

I spent a lot of time with my nose in a book, reading a lot of literature without concern for true privacy. Despite the questionable literature available, we all shared it and knew the content. TV access was also controlled for a long time due to power constraints.

Either way, everyone knew what everyone else was reading, watching and doing. Perhaps, the environment denied privacy to the point where I did not think I needed any at the time.

Today, everyone has access to extensive content online without a true method for managing personal, family and public access. Therefore, the question of privacy has become more important than ever.

As we revel in having unlimited content, we forget the most important thing. If we are reading and watching it, someone or something is watching us back. (And it is not just a sibling waiting to read the novel after you.)

Online Privacy

Like calculus, I have not taken time to understand the intricacies of digital privacy. However, I have watched enough American movies with the exaggerated FBI/NSA/DEA/CIA and other alphabet conspiracies to know that the information shared online (voluntarily or otherwise) can be used in countless ways.

In the past, people were cautious about sharing information.

The thought of those old times of paranoia makes me wonder about the horror people would experience if the services we use so casually like Uber, Lyft, Amazon and food delivery appeared suddenly in those ages. If we put aside our numbed senses, it is quite foolish to let strangers come to your door or handle your food without personal vetting.

That is why nothing should be introduced suddenly. It is important for people to grow numb to the danger to which they have exposed themselves. Take a moment to ponder the benefits of slow and gradual growth of any technology.

Tip for Time Travellers: Introduce all (evil) technology slowly and in small bytes.

Anachronism concerns aside, I am worried about the details I provide to countless individuals and companies every day. Like right now...

Schools of Thought on Privacy

Everyone weighs in on privacy with a few intersecting ideas in the various groups. If opinions on privacy were represented in a pictogram, they would create a wild Venn diagram. Off the top of my head, I can think of a few.

1. One believes we should have online privacy, but the government should have access if it is a matter of national security.

2. Another thinks that no one, absolutely no one, should be allowed to access anyone’s digital information.

3. Someone else thinks there is nothing to fear. If you are not doing anything bad online, why should you be afraid of scrutiny?

4. Another person shuns the concept of interacting online with anything. (Aluminium hats for the win?)

Who is Right? The answer is simple. No one. But I will continue to think about this matter. Maybe, I will ask Siri for guidance.