Just how much should you worry about your personal data? Unless you are someone who is completely off the grid, you won’t have been able to avoid the landslide of emails from every single company and site you have ever signed up to this week, falling over themselves to get in touch with you to adhere to the new strict rules that have been put in place. When it comes to personal data, you pretty much have to provide your name, email address and other generic information to any site that you sign up to these days. It’s something that we have become used to and don’t even think about. But is the issue of personal data sharing and leaking something that you need to be more aware of? How much should you worry about your personal data
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1. Online Advertising Goldmine
Basically, everything you have ever posted, shared, searched for or tweeted has become an opportunity goldmine for online advertisers. If you don’t mind getting ads and emails related to that one time you searched for a two person tent three years ago, then this isn’t necessarily something you are going to be worried about. You might not like the idea of advertisers keeping track of the things that you like to look at online, but if you are someone who likes to be shown offers of interest, then this side of personal data use shouldn’t be a big deal for you.
2. Company Growth
Did you know that 90% of the world’s data has only been accumulated over the course of the last three years? This is an interesting fact, but at its core it shows you that the spying tools and eyes of online advertisers and companies have really upped their game in this time. This has, of course, lead to explosive growth in various companyies’ profits thanks to targeted advertising achieved through your data, so in a sense you might want to be worried about the way you are being treated as a pawn for capitalism. But once again, if you don’t mind getting sent those dozens of targeted emails every day, then don’t sweat it!
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3. Too Much Tech Progress?
A real worry some people get from this wave of person data explosion is that technology is actually progressing at a faster and more advanced rate than humanity. Data collection helps to aid development in technology, and a real sci-fi type fear that people harbour is the fact that their own data might be contributing to some sort of technological take over that might not be so good for the human race! Is this something that is an impossibility? No. But is it something that you should be worrying about at this very moment and stop browsing Amazon? Probably not!
If you’re confused about the issue of personal data, there is tons of information available online. You might also want to think about just pressing the “I agree” or “I consent” or “allow” button on emails and pop-ups before doing so. It’s easier when you have some idea of what you are consenting to.