Online Privacy-Really?
There are many things about the internet and the web that are great. Privacy is not one of them. Some might even wonder if there is such a thing as online privacy. Companies that we do business with like our bank, retails and even Facebook would have us believe there is such a thing as online privacy. Heck, we all “read” and “agree” to each company’s privacy policies when we are conducting business online. After all, it’s a policy and we are protected and our information is safe, right? Safe from whom?
Sure most companies go to great lengths and spend great sums of money to protect our basic information, such as social security and bank numbers etc. from hackers and outsiders. That’s great, but sometimes that is not enough and unfortunately, it is difficult for those companies to stay ahead of technology in safe guarding our information.
But on the flip side of the coin, companies generate a lot of “coin” that is money off the information we give them about ourselves. No, they don’t sell it to third parties, just their affiliates. Case in point, I recently refinanced my home. Great, right? Got a lower rate and payment. I also got a lot more. More mail, more emails, for things CitiMortgage thinks I need: everything to life insurance, home warranties, new roofing, new appliances, home improvement and who knows what else. I just can’t wait to open my mail or email each day, not to mention my mortgage statement with something new each month from one of CitiMortgage’s affiliates. But CitiMortgage didn’t sell my information to third parties, no, just to their affiliate. I know, I got the great rate and CitiMortgage is banking it well from all my information.
Now that’s just one example, the internet is set up in such a way to track where we search, what we do and purchase. You didn’t think that email account you got was really free did you? Someone has to paid for it; it costs lots of money to keep servers, technology and the infrastructures updated and running. And, yes internet companies get paid to track us. A bit creepy right? It would be like if someone is following you and watching everything you do in a store. Oh wait, that happens too, if the store has cameras, which most do. All this information on what we do online is categorized so that someone can market just the perfect products for us. It’s big business in today’s world. But that’s just the information we put out there that we don’t even think about.
What about the information we willingly and eagerly put out there. Such as the information we post on Facebook. We are so eager to share every aspect of our life, what we feel, what we do, where we go, what we find funny, even our present location. Duh, who’s bright idea was that one; Let’s tell everyone we’re on our or on vacation and our house is empty, might as well leave the door open. But that’s what we do, we put everything out there in the open for anyone to come by and take and use it for their own personal gain.
People just share too much: TMI-too much information. And often that information can come back to haunt us, get one arrested or even fired.
People forget that anything posted online, even if deleted is out there, forever. It only takes some diligent person to find it. Sometimes it is not even that hard. We just put it out there for everyone to see, even the police. Just ask the 19 year-old Florida women who took a picture of her baby with a bong that was arrested on possession of drug paraphernalia and caught the attention of Florida’s Department of Children and Families. Not too bright. Or ask Adam Bauer, 19 who posted a picture of himself holding a beer and was arrested for underage drinking. Stupid and the news is full of these types of cases.
And yes, folks have lost their jobs over Facebook posts. It has happened to one of my co-workers because of comments made. I have even heard of others who were fired over pictures posted such as the case of Georgia teacher Ashley Payne who lost her job after a vacation photo was posted.
People think that what they post on their own time, on their site is not their employer’s business. Think again and while you’re at it, better check your employer’s policy on social media and character clauses. I tell others, don’t post anything that you don’t want your grandparents or future kids to know or see. It just might still be out there.
Be Private, Really.
Eva Prada
Is “Online Privacy” the Ultimate Oxymoron?
http://www.sensibleemarketing.com/
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