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Overview

Today’s world is a dangerous place. People are using technology to spy on us and collect our personal information. Governments and companies are creating sophisticated systems that track where we go, what websites we visit, and even what we do in private. This isn’t science fiction; it’s happening today.

A dragnet is a rare occurrence in which law enforcement officials use extraordinary means to find criminals. However, the digital era has brought about a new form of dragnet that uses technology to collect vast amounts of personal information on anyone and everyone. It’s not just the police who are doing this; it’s also private companies.

In the digital age, everyone is watching us. This makes it impossible to keep secrets and enjoy privacy. However, you shouldn’t give up on privacy because there are ways to protect yourself from prying eyes. In this article, we will look at how our personal data has become as valuable as oil; why some cookies are dangerous; and what we can do to avoid being tracked by technology giants online.

Big Idea #1: You’re not paranoid, you’re right: We live in a world where someone is always watching us.

The threat of espionage used to be limited to heads of state, but now everyone needs to worry about it. The ubiquity of computers has made it easier for governments and companies to store data on us. Before this, tracking was too expensive – imagine how much money you’d spend if you hired a private investigator just to follow someone around for months. Now that information is cheap, governments and companies can keep tabs on people without spending too much money.

Thanks to Edward Snowden, we know that institutions gather a lot of data. The NSA is only mandated to collect foreign communications, but Snowden’s documents revealed that the agency also collects phone records and online information on U.S. citizens.

Yet, the NSA isn’t the only agency doing this; local and state governments are also involved in surveillance. They use license plate readers to track citizens’ movements, as well as cell phone companies who sell information about your location to data brokers. Retailers can also identify you by using facial recognition technology, and some malls can monitor how you move from shop to shop. Should we be concerned about all of this? The following paragraph will answer that question.

Big Idea #2: Your personal data can be easily accessed and used by those who may want to harm you.

You might be wondering, “How does this data collection affect me?” There are laws that protect you from potential abuse.

Yes, but there are also loopholes that can be exploited. Consider that there may be several databases where your information is stored and it’s close to impossible to check them all and delete the data from every single database.

So, if someone wants to know something about you, they’ll probably find a way to get it. For example, in 1999 Liam Youens was obsessing over a woman and he wanted information on her. He paid for the information from an online data broker and then drove to where she worked and killed her before killing himself.

Spying on people is now so easy that you don’t even need to be a tech wizard to do it. In 2009, technicians at a high school installed spying software on students’ MacBooks, technology provided by the school itself. The technicians could then activate the laptops’ webcams and take photos of students eating candy shaped like pills. One student was photographed eating those candies and accused of consuming drugs in his home. Many former students were shocked by this action from their old school, while one decided not to attend anymore because he felt humiliated and upset about what happened.