Big Data: Privacy- Does it exist anymore?

In last weeks module, we discussed the topic of privacy in the technology we use today. But does it exist even? After doing the assignments and readings from last week, it seems as though privacy does not exist, we are being monitored and tracked on everything we do and look up. Not only is this unethical, but its just creepy in another sense, when they say the ‘government is watching us’, I think they really mean it. The internet is essential to human existence now, all of the answers to any and all questions you may have can be found with a quick google search, but also those google searches aren’t protected from privacy as they can be stored and used for the hackers and trackers of phones to know what your looking up. In the Ted Talk by Andy Yen, he starts with this powerful statement, “Since then, the Internet has transformed the way we communicate, the way we do business, and even the way we live. In many ways, the ideas that gave birth to Google, Facebook, Twitter, and so many others, have now really transformed our lives, and this has brought us many real benefits such as a more connected society,” (Yen, 2014). As Yen talks about a more connected society is true, but the doesn’t move away from the fact that our whole lives are out there not only in our search history, but also on social media. The biggest concern for privacy is there simply is no privacy when owning a smart device because somehow, someway it is wired to know us better than we know ourselves essentially. I definitely think there is concern but sadly its just the world we live in, we live in a technically advance world now, computers run our lives essentially, and all we can do is be smart and strategic about what information we put out there for everyone to see and not let this technology control and make judgements on who we are as human beings.