Whos Privacy is it?

 How seriously do you take your personal privacy? I was asked this question by a friend of mine when I was submitting a DNA sample for a company called 23 and me that gives ancestry and health information. I was aware of the implications of this company having my DNA, and information about who I am and where I come from, but I didn't realize how many other ways my privacy and information is out in the open. 

The TED talks we were instructed to watch provide details of different ways our privacy and information is given to companies and the government without our knowledge. One of the overarching themes of these TED talks was mass surveillance disrupting our privacy. The talk given by Juan Enriquez compares our online presence to a tattoo because of how permanent it is. How we let our information get out is like an electronic tattoo. 

The talk given by Cathrine Crump talks about how data companies collect using surveillance using all kinds of data, and location information. One of the examples was that the government can use your car to track where you go. They can know information like if you go to church and where you shop.  Cell phone companies give wiretapping information to the government as well. 

The big question is does this violate our rights? The answer, unfortunately, is no. When we sign up for apps, buy cell phones and use certain providers, we sign away certain rights to these companies. We have to be extremely careful and decide what information we are ok with giving out when checking the “I agree to the terms and services” box at the bottom of an agreement. 

The third party doctrine states that if we check these boxes that say we agree to the terms, essentially the government and these companies can do what they want with our information. In this day and age of technology people have less privacy than ever, and are far less protected against government searches. 

Next time you get an app or sign up for something, read the terms of service and decide if it is worth giving up that right.