Online Privacy - Blog Post #5

After watching these Ted Talk's, I have been thinking a lot about how much of our lives I share online without realizing the consequences. We post for birthdays, holidays, and minor details in our lives. In the first video, Enriquez explains that everything we do online, whether it's a social media post, a comment, or even a search, it all leaves a permanent mark, like a tattoo you cannot remove. This most definitely resonated with me, because most of us post things without thinking twice. I share every detail of my life without thinking about who can be viewing it. We don’t always consider how long it will stay out there or who might see it 15 years from now. 

This issue affects me and everyone I know. My friends and I are always on social media, posting pics, sharing memes, and expressing opinions. But we do not often think about how that info could be used in the future, by colleges, employers, or even random strangers. The newest generations are growing up in a world where technology and social media is engrained into their life at a younger age. This generation is growing up with iPads and YouTube, and even my parents have their personal info online for work and bills. With a simple google search you can my address, phone number, and birthday. We are all a part of this digital world, and we’re all leaving behind “electronic tattoos.” 

The government should be doing more to protect our privacy. There should be stricter laws about what companies can collect and do with our data. Apps should not be able to track us or sell our information without clear permission. There also needs to be better education on digital privacy, starting in schools. Most people do not understand how vulnerable they are online. 

But while we wait for better laws, we can take steps ourselves. We should be more careful about what we post and who we share it with. Using privacy settings, avoiding sketchy websites, and thinking before we post can make a big difference. It’s also smart to Google yourself occasionally to see what’s out there. 

In the end, while you might forget what you post, the internet does. If we do not start taking our online privacy seriously, we could be dealing with the consequences for the rest of our lives.