Privacy not found

Every second of our lives may be recorded by cameras, microphones and motion sensors, and each tiny digital signal we generate is being stored and analysed. Data can be used to profile you to maximise advertiser value for "free services", and to monitor you for potential harm to the society (say hi to NSA!).

This is not the future, this is now.

There is no apparent end to how, when and where you are tracked. Ad-tech companies may track every little jiggle you make with your mouse, and detect how hard you press on the touchscreen. Image analysis algorithms identify you in photos your friends share on the Internet. Your habits and preferences are derived from your emails, web browsing and every other online interaction.

If you want to use a modern phone and the Internet, there is not much you can do to avoid tracking. Except, if you choose to avoid the worst of the advertisment funded products, search engines and social networks. You can also protect yourself by installing tracking- and ad-blockers like Ghostery and 1Blocker.

For me, the privacy centric web search engine DuckDuckGo has replaced Google Search, and I use Fastmail and Apple’s iCloud for email. These service boast their interest in preserving users privacy.

We should all value our privacy enough to consider our exposure to tracking, and to take some basic precautions.