BLOG #7: Privacy Online and Off

 In today's world, I can google a person's name and find pretty much anything about them. This ranges from their social media handles, phone number, email, school, job, hometown all the way to the price they bought the house that they are living in. With today's technology, almost anyhting is possible to find. Although this may seem helpful, it is extrmely scary. Nothing is private anymore. All of our information is online, and that is due to us basically handing it out to everyone. Every time we sign up for a website, create an email, or enter our credit card number when buying something online, we are releasing our information. Even offline, we are constantly being monitored and watched without even knowing.

   After watching the six Ted Talks about privacy on and offline, I am even more skeptical about giving my information to anyone and anything. These talks reminded me of a book I read in high school titled 1984 by George Orwell. The book spoke about how the govenment was in control and watching everything that you do. They watched you when you were outside your home and insdie your home. You could not do anything without the government knowing. I remember reading this book in high school and thinking "this is absolutely crazy." Little did I know that about four years later, I was basically living the book. As technology increases and devlops we are going to continue being monitored even more and more, just like in the book 1984. 

Being constantly watched by the government bothers me, because I should be able to have privacy in my life. It is my right and freedom to live life how I want to live it, without being monitored and watched. Although I wish the goverment could help this issue, they are the ones behind it all. The government is one of the biggest hypocrites when it comes to privacy. They say they want to help, but a lot of the time, they are the ones gathering and releasing our information to others. In order to protect ourselves from the invasion of our own privacy, I think it is import to stay aware and stay smart. Read guidlines and contracts before clicking yes, use different usernames and passwords for everything, don't post all of your personal information on social media and so on. As technology develops, we are going to have to find more savy ways to protect of information as much as possible.