Missing Link

If there’s one thing almost all of us take for granted, it’s privacy.   We seem to operate in this mode of denial – wanting desperately to believe that we have privacy in what we do,  how we do it, how and where we spend our money, etc.  Every day more and more of our information goes online, into vast databases because the online world offers us convenience – it makes our lives a little easier.   I know and have heard from numerous people who have said “I never carry cash anymore… plastic is just more convenient”.

Convenient – yes.  Private – no.

What most people, in the United States anyways, don’t seem to realize is that we do NOT own the personal and private data that is collected about us.   The companies that collect the data own it.  What’s perhaps more disturbing is that there is nothing that forces them to let you even SEE what data they’ve collected, much less anything with which you can use to compel them to destroy it.  In fact, most of these companies have little reason to destroy it, and significant reason not to.

The US Government, rather than create regulations and laws to protect it’s citizens and their privacy,  has given in to industry pressure to leave things alone.   “We’ll self regulate ourselves!” exclaim the industry players,  trying to assure the government that no oversight is needed,  that they know how best to handle the average citizens personal details.

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