Blog #7 - TED Talks and Privacy

After viewing multiple Ted Talks about privacy with todays technologies, I am left more aware than ever of the lack of privacy that we as twenty-first century humans have. 

In a Ted Talk by Juan Enriquez, he related our online trails to tattoos. These Cyber-tattoos will be around long after we are gone and will in some ways, immortalize us. In this day and age, we are all on the internet. From the photographs on the day we are born to the obituary on the day we die. These things and everything in-between will remain on the internet for the rest of existence. 

Catherine Crump spoke about the military grade surveillance equipment that many local police departments now hold. They use the ability to track faces, license plates, and more for the purpose of learning all about us in the slight case that they may need it later. 

Christopher Soghoian discussed surveillance blockers placed by phone companies to try and block hackers from data about us. He showed viewers how to keep our conversations private by simply using the messaging apps provided. 

Darieth Chisolm explained what is commonly known as revenge porn and how it can destroy lives. With one in ten women under thirty experiencing it, it is not an uncommon issue. As a female under thirty, I have had multiple friends experience this and it is made worse by the fact that there is very little that can be done. 

It is obviously the governments job to watch for suspicious activity and catch criminals but it is also their job to protect or security and privacy. There should also be laws in place with a real punishment for crimes such as revenge porn as there is no way to make it disappear forever.