Well Informed: Privacy 2.0

Well Informed: Privacy 2.0

"Terms and Conditions" by Grant Jones

When there is a scrape on the knee, the nervous system will relay that information to the brain, and the brain processes that information and then responds by sending aid to heal that specific area of trauma. If the nervous system does not send that message to the brain, the brain cannot act to send aid. Here lies safety of the organism’s well-being. However, when a virus is introduced to the body, it can make the brain think the body is under attack via the nervous system, causing inflammation and pain. The body isn’t perfect, and neither is the internet.

The internet has indeed become a potential nervous system in world organism. It is vital for many reasons. The spreading of information, and increased speed of business of the global village. It can send messages to those places it connects with, having aid sent to countries who are pained with the lack of education or water, sending aid to warring countries. The information sent through the web can find murders and extremists who want to destroy the world organism and send messages for aid to eradicate them. The internet can also cause harm to the world organism by being restricted in the areas that need the most aid, or have false messages and fake news sent around the globe, which rallies the masses into self-destructive acts. Where does the cost-benefit ratio come to play? Is it more beneficial to insure privacy to protect our own actions and identities, or is it more beneficial to lay it all out for the world to see, so the messages can be sent for help or support? Well, either way, our privacy is already gone for the most part.

Our bank accounts and socials may be safely hidden to most, but not to all. Younger generations would think those two things are really the only things we need to stay private, while older generations expect more than that. Ron Swanson, from Parks and Recreation, tried to wipe his entire existence from governmental records, not even allowing them to see his address or date of birth. He wouldn’t even let an arcade game know his initials. In other words, he proactively went out of his way to withhold “private” information. He actively kept his identity his own, while the rest of us let ourselves agree to terms and conditions to social apps that we have never ever in the history of everything read from beginning to end. In fact, you could say that in making the terms and conditions so complex and lengthy, these companies are keeping private the information about us that they have access to, all while displaying it in the most legal way possible.

Our privacy is no longer ours. By tapping into everyone’s phone, Google Maps can tell what traffic condition are like. When buying things online via Amazon, we give up our search histories and interests. In the documentary, Terms, And Conditions, they point out that Gamestop had a clause in their terms and conditions agreement that allowed the company to own a person’s soul if they checked the “I Agree” box on their website. They owned about 9,000 souls in less than 24 hours. They gave the souls back, of course. In the documentary The United States of Secrets, we find out that the government has been hitching a ride on every cooky Google and other companies use. Whether this access is for stopping terrorism, or to view our information for personalized ads, your privacy is gone. Is it for the greater good? It really doesn’t matter. There are things we can do to hinder this penetration of unwanted persons or corporations, but for most of us, there are too many links within our network to be completely erased. It is too late to uncheck the “I agree” box.