MAY AS WELL LEAVE FRONT DOOR UNLOCKED
There’s a big difference between having nothing to hide and being totally unable to keep anything hidden from criminals intent on hacking personal data
HERE are some fun facts. In the last three months, my credit card has been hacked twice, my Instagram was hacked, my personal details were leaked after my mobile phone service provider was hacked and then leaked again after my health insurer was hacked.
At this point, I’m not only leaving my front door unlocked but wide open with the keys in my car ignition since it feels like what’s mine is now essentially the world’s.
I’ve never been one to worry about privacy concerns like facial scanning or targeted advertising guided by algorithms, after all, I have nothing to hide.
But there’s a big difference between having nothing to hide and being unable to keep anything hidden.
Go ahead and check my search history, but I draw the line at stealing my identity.
I hate to say it, but maybe those conspiracists were correct.
Not the “stolen election” kooks, but the ones who insist we are naive to so freely give away our personal data.
Ever since my multiple hackings, I’ve started to notice just how often goods and service providers require the most arbitrary, and yet essential, private information.
It’s not just my credit card details but my email and phone number, my home address, my date of birth, my license number, my Medicare number, my private health insurer account number … all of which, by the way, have now been seen in multiple data breaches.
So when I saw a chat on Reddit about this subject, I had to empathise with the following commenter.
“I went to get my daughter’s ear pierced and they asked the usual questions. name, address, allergy questions ... but they also wanted my driver’s license and Medicare information, which they would record and keep on file,” says the commenter.
“I was happy for them to sight the ID for permission purposes, but I’m done giving companies more information than they need to perform a service.
“After the recent high profile hacks, I lost $300 and some scumbags have been spoofing my phone number to scam people. I found out after the victims called me to complain.
“Stop giving companies too much information.
“They can’t be trusted and may even be selling your information to others.” This person has a point. While I understand that there are cases where this information is entirely reasonable and required, it’s time to stop blindly handing over your identity.
Social media services are the worst of it, but it’s the same for “free” rewards programs and even apps.
As the saying goes, if you’re not paying for the product … you are the product.
And what is it that we are providing? Our personal and private information.
It’s the reason that practically every product now comes with an app.
Apparently, plain old electric toothbrushes are so five minutes ago.
Now, you need the Bluetooth-enabled smart toothbrush with its own app.
You supply your personal information and they scan your teeth … perfect for that dental identification.
But wait, there’s more.
How about the smart kitty litter box that’s both wifi and app enabled … for you to monitor your pet’s health, of course.
Definitely not for the company to monitor you.
Call me old school, but I’m pretty sure my nose works just as well as my phone to let me know when my cat has taken a dump.
Then there are the companies who, claiming green concerns, no longer print your receipt but email or text it to you. You can refuse, but how do you prove proof of purchase in case of return or exchange?
The truth is that even if a hacking never happens, every time we release our details is like leaving our front door unlocked for a night.
Most of the time, there is no harm done.
But it only takes one unlucky occasion to allow entry to a malicious intruder.
Go ahead and check my search history, but I draw the line at stealing my identity ...