privacy - you already don't have any

i get a lot of comments about my use of social media... more often than not it's just comments, but sometimes (when it involves others) it questions privacy.

an example would be: i go out for the evening, and the people i'm with all group together for a photo, then i post this picture online to Twitter or Facebook or something like that... then someone else may ask, "are you sure those other people want the world knowing they were there?"

on some level, it's a fair question.  but my first thought is simply that a person should be leading a life where their location and activities shouldn't matter.  being caught out with your buddies and their girlfriends at a bar when your wife thinks you're at the office... or if your coworkers see the same pictures and realize how big a jackass you are... meh... these are problems of your dishonesty on some level, and if you're life is really clean, this is really more paranoia.

at the same time, i know people who have real problems, violent ex-relationships, estranged family members who harass them, or entertainers who's fan base is at times pushy.  while a lot of us would like to think we have to be concerned so we can avoid someone judging our new outfit or being caught with the wrong woman - these people have real privacy issues.

ok, so as you think about it - you're not a Hollywood starlet, you don't cheat on your spouse, you don't act the fool, you shouldn't care what people think of your new outfit... so where's the problem?

the problem is in the machine.  not Facebook, not Twitter, not Instagram.  the problem is not with your babysitter who posts pictures of your child, the problem is not your buddy who shares his location online.  these people could stop what they are doing and you are still being tracked.

sure, your babysitter or your buddy can hold some of the blame.  social media harvests data in epic ways, and that data is not held just in their systems as they would like you to believe.  data mines are sold and shared regularly to other businesses, and they don't care (click here to read Google's opinion on your privacy) - there are NO REGULATIONS on this in the United States... there are however laws that limit the government's use of this information.  however, it still happens, as shown in this article from Wired.

but it's much more than that - so much more that really, social media is far from the reason your life is no longer private.  social media catches the heat because that's where people draw most of their online drama.  but really, having someone know you got a new girlfriend and she's your buddy's ex is not real problems.  real problem will happen later when your credit score is impacted or you are unable to use your email because of all the spam you receive after you visited a car dealership to get an oil change and the machine made some assumptions.

after 9/11 the federal government mandated that all cell phones sold in the United States have GPS systems in them.  from that, geo-location services were created.  the tech inclined started to use the GPS to create 'geoloc' services and systems so people could share their location 24/7 with friends for fun or for safety.

geoloc systems are great and they are completely safe for the average user.  i have friends who's devices are constantly telling me where they are - you can't see that information, but i can, because they have granted me that permission.  with that, my nieces are also showing up on my maps, because they are teenage girls being raised by a working single mother, and someone should always know where they are.  and, i have a handful of clients who share their location with one person - me - by their own choice, they realized that someone should know where they are at all times (while not wanting that information shared with someone who would regularly look and question their activities).  somewhere in all this is the balance between sharing, and privacy.

but - modern corporations are also using this information to track you.  Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, and many more - they create the software on your phone, then they store that information and use it to market to you... and more.

in the 2002 movie 'Minority Report', Tom Cruise runs through a city where advertisements are changing for each user who walks by - and in 2013, Intel Corporation is already marketing systems to do just that.  in fact, one of my fellow consultants was asked to join a team of corporate innovators who wanted to do that same thing.

and in all this you think - "I'm not one of those people, I live simple, I'm not online, I don't do the Facebook and the Tweeter and the posting pictures online".

actually, you do.

one of my clients and his wife avoid social media in general, and while he likes tech-toys, he doesn't use social media and she barely uses a cell phone which is turned off and shelved the instant she gets home from work.  they are safe, right?  wrong.  her children post pictures of her on Facebook, her work has an email system, his nephews post pictures while visiting their vacation home, and they both shop online.

these are good people, they spend most of their free time at home or golfing, and periodically travel.  they aren't living in the limelight, they aren't being followed by paparazzi or ex-relationships, and they are almost always together when not at work - so why the concern?  and who cares if the marketing machines customize ads for them?

it's not about the ads - it's about the information.

information catalogs are being harvested online constantly - it is possible for someone to look up information on you on a level that would shock you.  you may think you're not online, but you are - your company photo posted to the company website is probably linked to your name.  your name was used when your friend emailed you from her Yahoo! account. she has emailed you many times, and in those emails are plans to go to certain places and may mention other people who you are now linked to.  those people shop online... and the chain goes on and on.

if you think this isn't happening, check out this map from the MIT Immersion project, which (with permission) will show you how email services like my Google system can analyze email:

(click the above photo for a better view)

email systems like Gmail, Yahoo! email, Apple's iCloud, or Microsoft's Exchange system are used to connect you and your information to others.  shown above is a map of everyone who emails me, how often, and how they were connected to me and others.  it's not a perfect science, as i look at it i see people who aren't connected that should be, and those same people are connected to those who they have no relation to... and why?   because something held them together electronically.  people who email me rarely, or were part of replies are still noticed, and so is that content.

if you're someone who emails me and you see your name above, you'll probably notice that for most of you there are lines and color coding that shows which circle of friends you're part of, the computer uses this analysis to define how we met, how often you contact me, and who else you're associated with.

don't believe me?  feel free to try it yourself - https://immersion.media.mit.edu/

somewhere behind all this, is also the analysis of what you buy, where you go, and what you do with your time.  and don't think living off the grid and only using cash solves this problem unless you plan to never leave home - the computers are biometrically tracking you as well.

think it impossible?  feel free to watch this report from 60 Minutes about the use of facial recognition software and data mining in the United States today:


as shown in the report, students have managed to modify a toy that flies around and identifies people by their face.  this information can be linked to the information found online and your history continues.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

almost nothing.

you can have some common courtesy and understand what is going on.  for example: my map above doesn't include any complete names, and is an image of circles, so i'm not violating anyone's privacy here.  odds are no one knows who 'Gavin' or 'KC' are, and if you do you have no reason to care that they emailed me or how much.  i try to consider these things when i post things publicly online.

with common courtesy to others, should also be some understanding that others may not get it.  if your friend has your kids at a pizza place and takes a picture of all of them playing together and later posts it online tagging you in it so you'll notice, they may think they are sharing a fun picture, and may not consider the possible ramifications.

and really, most of us should be living lives where none of this matters.  the younger generations today are already of the understanding that there is no longer any privacy, and the few who haven't learned it yet are regularly embarrassing themselves on social media.  my only concern from this is that we may be raising a generation of people who lead clean lives or become experts in lies and deception.  so if you're a parent, second guess your kids regularly, and watch their online posts.

in the end, the general consensus amongst those in 'the know' is that our privacy is over.  you may be able to ask others not to share information about you, and some will listen, but that won't stop your computer at work or the security cameras at the mall, and probably won't stop your kids who don't think for a minute that it will matter if they post a picture of dad online.

it is my opinion that the best of us will try to understand it, and maybe embrace it a little.  we all do already, we have the email, we have the cell phones, we aren't going to stop using them.  the time has come for us all to grow some thicker skin, take a deep breath, and let go of any desire we have to hide - because it's going to be torn away from us no matter what.

most of the people in my world are good and honest people, and even some of those carry the burden of being judged in the past... in that, they want to keep their lives to themselves.  it makes sense on some level, no one wants to be judged, and no one should be unsafe with their information.  but most of these systems have controls in place.  like the geolocation systems i mentioned at the beginning of this, most provide some level of security from others.

but do not forget that big brother is watching, and someone you know may be better friends with him than you are.