I have neither time, resources nor know-how to like go all out on data privacy. But I try doing things like using Proton for Mail, browsing with DuckDuckGo or Ecosia, messaging on Signal instead of WhatsApp, etc.
But I’m having a hard time responding to people who say “why do you do that, it’s completely pointless since companies like Google have all of our data anyways unless we go all out, and nobody has time for all the effort that takes”.
I’m pretty late but hopefully this helps someone:
Privacy is in the moment. It isn’t just about your SSN, or the email address you had ten years ago even you signed up for Pegging by Peggy newsletters. It’s a moving target and the highest value for the people that want your data is as close to right now as possible.
If you digitally disappeared in this moment the value of all the shit they have on you would rapidly decline.
It also is about as complete a picture as possible. Privacy violating data points are valuable in aggregation. An address and name are only valuable when you can tie it to viewing preferences, voting records, etc. The more data points you can hide, the better.
Also, many (most?) people will be more upset with the person who rocks the boat or is the messenger of bad news than the perpetrator of the real problem. “We’ve tried nothing and are all out of ideas” applies to people you might care about just as much as it does to Schummer.
Ok, what is your social security number, email address with password, your date of birth, and if applicable, your mother’s maiden name.
It’s all out there right?
Give me your debit card pin.
Tell them about surveillance pricing. It’s a good example because the information “already out there” is used to influence how much the stuff they buy costs. Another example would be unsecure home security/doorbell cameras that anyone on the internet can watch (if you know where to find them). Their camera feeds are “already out there”, so ask them if that’s ok.
Please give me you bank account password, it’s all out there anyway.
“Privacy is dead” only once you lose all legal rights to your own information. It may be “already out there”, but at least you still have some legal recourse for when your information is being used by a 3rd party, without your consent. (or at least it should)
No one should have the right to just clone your identity, or make AI images in your likeness, or even sell your confidential information to advertisers, against your wishes. If there aren’t laws already protecting your rights in that regard, where you live…there should be.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good and if not for yourself but your friends and family. You would want them being stalked online right?
I’m currently fighting my city over flock cameras and I’m hearing this a lot. More people should care about privacy.
It’s not “all out there”, unless you let it go out there.
Most interaction with people on privacy-hostile services are out there, yes. But that’s far from “all”.
Public figures? Probably true to some degree.
(Even Linus Torvalds said that. He argued that anything that’s worth being backed up, will probably be).The run of the mill Joe Doe? No.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.
Then property ownership doesn’t matter, because the land is ‘all out there’ so anyone can go/live anywhere regardless of who owns the property, right?
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“Then I guess there shouldn’t be laws against murder since people do that anyway.”
I don’t push it. It’s their life and if privacy isn’t a value to them nothing I say is going to change that. I might mention the amount of data collected but that’s generally public knowledge anyway. Some people just don’t care if a company that they use has the data.
“I value my privacy more than you, there is nothing more to it” is a more than adequate statement.
When they have doorbell cloud cameras and they’re this type, I ask if they’d put one in their shower. To match your topic, I’d ask them to live stream their next email/search/web session.
