Secrecy isn’t the same as privacy

A lot of us justify giving away our data for free "stuff" by telling ourselves that we have nothing to hide. Perhaps that's not quite the right way to think about this issue.

Increasingly, big and small corporations use our personal data. They gather, process, and analyze it using algorithms to serve us better content and ads, personalizing our online experience. It happens in the background while we browse the web or use our most popular mobile applications.

All too often, these algorithms serve us more of the same content. Content that agrees with us and validates our existing beliefs to make us feel good. And while it does, it also further distances us from truly experiencing the whole world, creating an information bubble around us. We also get personalized ads, often too late, after we've already purchased that pair of boots or shoes. Eventually, what we know is greatly influenced by what the algorithms studying our data want us to know.

There's a hidden cost associated with giving away our information.

Many of us justify giving away our data for free "stuff" by telling ourselves that we have nothing to hide. Perhaps that's not quite the right way to think about this issue.

There's a difference between privacy and secrecy. Most of us don't have anything to hide: we pay our taxes, don't have any dark secrets or plot evil plans. We're good citizens.

Not having secrets isn't the same as not needing privacy.

When you head to the bathroom, it's no secret what you're doing in there, but that doesn't mean that you don't close the door to have privacy.

Giving away our personal information for free software is akin to accepting a toilet free of charge and, in return, letting the toilet company come into your home to peek in the bathroom when it's occupied. They might be looking at how we sit on the toilet, how long we stay sitting, how many times we flush, whether we use a scented spray after we're done, etc. They can gather that information, analyze it and sell it to other bathroom-related companies so they can, in turn, sell us more products we might not necessarily want or need for our bathrooms.

No, we don't have anything to hide, but we do deserve our privacy.

Our most popular applications, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, YouTube, etc., have no monetary cost associated with their usage; they are free. But we do pay a much higher price in the end with our privacy, or the lack thereof.

We have to stand up for our rights to privacy and our ability to choose if we want to allow these corporations to continue using our data for their gain. What if they had to pay us for using our data instead?

Miguel,
Sparknotion – Think Differently.