Privacy On and Offline

For me and those close to me, what I’ve learned about privacy both online and offline has raised significant worries. Whether it’s the risk of being tracked by the police through license plate scanners or the threat of revenge porn, where private images are shared without consent, our digital lives are incredibly vulnerable. The potential for someone, whether a company or a malicious individual, to exploit or expose our personal information is a real and pressing concern.

This is a serious issue. I get that the government might need some data to keep us safe, but they have access to way too much information. Just from the few videos I watched on the topic, I already feel like my privacy is being invaded in ways I may not even realize. There needs to be a stronger effort to protect our privacy. Legislation like the ENOUGH Act proposed by former Senator Kamala Harris, aimed at criminalizing revenge porn, is a start, but we need more. There should be stricter limits on how law enforcement uses surveillance technology, and companies have to be held accountable for how they handle our personal data.

While learning all this may seem scary, thankfully there are steps we can take to better protect ourselves. For instance, Apple’s encryption of apps like FaceTime and iMessage are smart to use since they make it much harder for anyone to wiretap our calls or messages. Personally, I use Apple’s app for calls, and knowing it’s encrypted does make me feel safer. But beyond using secure tools, we also need to be smart about what we share online. Every post and every piece of personal data we put out there contributes to our "electric tattoo". Being mindful of what we share and who we trust with our information is crucial to avoiding a negative electric tattoo that will follow us around forever.

In short, while the threats to our privacy are serious and complex, we can take action both individually and collectively. By advocating for stronger privacy protections and being careful about our online habits, we can better protect our personal information and reduce the risk of exploitation in this digital age.