Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Don't Exist

Anonymous


Some people are clearly under the illusion that they have privacy or freedom of speech in the 21st century. That ship has sailed long ago. Many of the same people that bark the loudest about the ways in which they think things like government institutions should stay out of their lives, don't apparently realize they've been their for a good 20 years at this point and for most of it, they've willingly agreed to hand over control for convenience.

1. Chips

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist

Are you worried about the government chipping you...too late. They may not have planted a literal microchip under your skin..."yet"... in the name of "national security" or in the interest of better service in the healthcare industry, but you have chips in any electronic device, credit/debit card you own. Everything you do is being monitored and tracked already. Why do you think every single time some psychopath is arrested, they have piles of phone records, recorded conversations, and financial transactions as evidence? If you have say a Sam's Club card or Costco/Grocery card, every time you buy certain items, the store is using that data to learn who you are and what you buy to stock more of the more popular items as well as to advertise to you specifically by selling that info to the brands you buy.

2. You're being watched all day long

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist


You may have some slight modicum of privacy in your home, but once you step outside, the amount of cameras watching you at any one point, is well, a lot. If you've installed cameras for security reasons, those can be tapped and you watch you along with the security company who has access to these. There are traffic light cameras everywhere. In any major city, every street corner has white or black security cameras overhead monitoring each city block for thieves, terrorists, emergency situations, etc. When you pump gas, camera, bank, camera, check out using self check out, camera, check out at a regular checkout, camera is overhead. At your job, most have some form of security cameras both outside and in. Your car has a black box. Every mall you've been to, every restaurant, every major city attraction, every airport, cabs, busses, trains...and then there are satellites that have captured images of your home and backyard and could be used to find your location if need be. And then....and then....and then...there is every single person with a cell phone who could publicly be recording you at any point of your day.

3. Social Media

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist

On this website right now, you've allowed it or any website you agree to use, to collect certain data about you. Every time you register you are asked certain information, typically birthday, name, location, etc. and then on your own, you supply pictures, information about you, your friends, your family, where you travel, that time you were super sick and needed surgery, your first boy/girlfriend, how you broke up, when you got married. You post images of where you've been and the places and people you love and have lost. You are your own worst enemy if ever anyone wanted to find out who you are and who you know in your own words.

4. Your "Secure" Financial/Personal Information

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist


From the dozens of data breaches a year, never have faith that any website is secure. Every second of the day, someone is working towards and successfully stealing everyone's information. Every time you register your credit card, your phone number, your social, your address, someone can take that and you might not even know. And that's "just" the hackers. Regular old John in IT, could probably waltz right in, take what he wanted, and be on his merry way. You have no clue who has real access to your personal information or who is selling it.

5. Freedom of Speech, What's that?

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist


Why do you think you have or have ever had this? It's a myth that you've sung heroic songs about for years, but in reality, you've never in your life been able to freely say whatever you wanted to whomever you wanted without potential consequences outside of your own home. Look at the amount of people being cancelled left and right, some deserved, some not.

People often talk about their rights to free speech being infringed upon in privately owned companies, but that company literally tells you when you join or sign up that they have the legal right to monitor and remove content that doesn't fit with their standards...like a GAG. ACTUALLY try reading a privacy policy every once in a while before you sign on the dotted line because while you're busy talking about it, you've already agreed to give it up. If you actually read these policies, you'd understand that your so called right to a mythical level of freedom of speech doesn't exist in these realms or in the reality of say a job in which you say something out of turn and you'll be fired.

6. Hey Google! Hey Siri!

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Dont Exist

Yes (nods head), I'm absolutely sure that a device that you agreed to plant in your home that can hear and respond to you when it's active is never listening or recording conversations you're having outside of that. It's already been proven that some of these devices were in fact recording when they weren't supposed to, but you're willing to gloss over that little tiny detail for some extra convenience of knowing how late your local McDonald's is open.

Welcome to 21st Century Where Privacy and Absolute Freedom of Speech Don't Exist
18 Opinion