I observed with interest the furor about Facebook wanting to change the privacy policies of WhatsApp.
It was fascinating to see read the different reactions, views, and opinions. I belong to quite a few WhatsApp groups that irritate me half of the time with the mindless chatter and useless comments.
I stayed because I find great bargains on them and I could ask for suggestions when I was looking for a specific service or product. One of the best perks is to be able to support local businesses that no one outside of the group has heard of but who offer great products and services. I love the personal interaction you have with the sellers and learning about cost-effective courier services. And the fact that you could ask questions before you commit to anything and someone, who happens to be a real person, actually answers.
Then Facebook decided to update the privacy policies of WhatsApp and all the groups I was on, except for four, left in droves to join Telegram and Signal. Information, indignation, anger, and shock were flying all over in messages. It was a good day for Signal and WhatsApp. Suddenly these two apps were on everyone's lips and if you've never heard of them before then, irate WhatsApp users made sure that you did get to know about them. And the remaining groups became so much more quiet.
In many cases, the migration was based more on fear than actual research about the platforms.
But here's the thing, privacy is an illusion. It has become a myth in our twenty-first century lives. The moment you fill in your email address, your cellphone number or your address, your date of birth, you have no idea knowing where the information will end up, who it will be sold to and who's tracking your spending habits or your search history. The moment you go online on the internet you are exposed in ways that are frightening if you'd stop to think about it.
A few days ago I had a very disturbing experience. In the bigger scope of things, it might seem trivial and someone else might just shrug it off but I found it very intrusive.
I received a call from a company I've never had offering me a package to buy a cellphone. She knew my name, my surname AND my date of birth and I had no idea who these people were.
These forms we randomly fill in without thinking, when we sign up for something, every time we put our details online or in writing anywhere, your privacy is gone. Selling information is big business for businesses. Have you noticed that after you've applied for something a few days later you're being inundated with calls from salespeople for the same or a related product?
Notice also how adverts about the product or service you were searching for start popping up every time you go online. That's no accident or coincidence. You're being tracked. Companies have you on their radar. And they want your money. That's all there is to it.
Sharing information has been going on for years but Facebook being so blatant about it has just put the spotlight on it. And it angered people to such an extent that they left. That is what happens when you get so used to doing things that you forget how wrong it actually is.
So, if you think your information is private, think again. The only way to stay private is to never use the internet, never fill in a form and never buy anything. Basically, you'd have to become a hermit.
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