Here’s why I disagree.
Please, not this.
When confronted with the numerous privacy scandals created by Facebook, Google and multiple other mainstream companies, ‘I have nothing to hide’ is a common response. This manifests itself in teens, who find socialisation more important than something so fundamental as privacy. I would call this excuse a lame one, and I suggest people stop using it.
In actual fact, many of us rely on privacy every day. We take privacy for granted. People that say they have ‘nothing to hide’ are actually quite mistaken. Let me present you with an example: would anyone be OK with representatives from Google or Facebook watching them shower or bath themselves. How would they feel if Facebook watched them masturbate, or have sex with their lover?
I think people have forgotten that companies’ grasp of our modern life is actually quite scary. Companies have manifested themselves into how we communicate. Millions of posts are sent on proprietary platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, which are then scanned with machine learning to generate a profile of the user.
Privacy may be a myth. It is commonplace for the ‘tech-saavy’ to promote closed-source social media platforms that steal the privacy of users. Companies like the BBC also send your watch history to Facebook. They really do know everything about you, and it’s why their posts are so relevant to your lifestyle.
I find it deeply saddening that the concept of privacy has almost been written off in this technological era. Technology has moved so fast, while regulators attempt to keep a handle on the insane data collection performed by these companies. This can be seen in the EU, where the GDPR has been implemented for user privacy. While legislation is important, and in this case it has restored some power to users, people are actually unaware of the vast amount of data companies actually have on them.
This is why we need to be fighting for Free, Open-Source Software. As companies’ technology is getting stronger and stronger, they are holding more and more of a grasp on our lives. As with Alexa and Google’s Assistant, they actually listen to you in your own home. The uprising of smart devices is something the ordinary consumer should be worried about, as it allows advertising companies such as Google to watch what they do constantly.
Your phone is probably listening to you right now, if you have a voice assistant installed.
Do you really have nothing to hide?
