Data collection doesn't always have to be negative. For instance, Google creating an internet profile of you allows them to tailor content to best suit you. It can make the internet more personalized and provide a greater overall experience. In his article "
AI Technologies, Privacy, and Security," author David Elliot writes on the philosophical idea of epistemic privilege. Elliot claims ordinary people are in a position of epistemic privilege because "they know more about themselves than others do." However, with AI, epistemic privilege is slowly disappearing. As companies begin to learn more about you, they can train their AI algorithms to provide you with content to best suit your personality. In his article, Elliot uses Youtube as an example, and how the Youtube home page is personalized for each user based on previous internet history. AI methods like these can be incredibly helpful, but the mass amount of data needed to supply them is concerning.
Now that you're done reading this page, I'm sure you're a little more worried about what other data these internet companies may have about you. While we strongly recommend being cautious about what you share, taking part in the internet means your data will be tracked in some form or another. It's a sort of nonverbal agreement you make as the user. The key take away is to be knowledgeable about the policies you agree to, and understand your internet rights.
Check out the interactive fill in the blank below to test your data protection knowledge.
