Numerous reports have detailed how data is being collected from virtually everything we do. We are using more and more smart devices. We depend on smartphones, apps, and web services. This produces mountains of data. Companies collect and process it to deliver a better and more addictive experience.
Data, however, has a negative side. Have you ever had a conversation with a friend about going to a holiday destination, only to see an advertisement for flights or hotels in that destination hours later? If you think Facebook or other data companies are listening in on your conversations, you are actually mistaken. This is the result of their incredibly accurate predictive analyses.
Companies like Google and Facebook collect your data, track your actions, and use them to build an accurate profile of you. They can then send you better offers, offer personalized services, and provide you with conveniences that will keep you glued to their products for years to come.
Enter: The Matrix
That sounds like a plot of a science fiction movie, doesn’t it? Well, that’s the reality. That is actually the negative side of data collection on a massive scale, and it is happening as we speak. The more data someone collects about your past actions, the more accurately it can predict your next moves.
The choices you make every day are immediately converted into data and tracked by complex algorithms. The social media posts we so harmlessly write, for example, often become a source of information for profiling. It is common for companies, politicians, and advertisers to turn social media sites into their testing grounds, especially since they have open access to your posts.
Social media sites are deliberately designed to keep you interested. This is why Instagram switched from a chronological feed to an algorithm-based one. The algorithm is specifically designed to tailor the posts to your liking, to make you spend more time on Instagram than before.
Other social media sites are doing the same thing. In fact, websites in general are playing to your tendencies and interests. Some websites even go as far as recommending different content for different users. Google certainly does this with its search results. Travel sites like Agoda do the same thing with their prices and offers.
New Data Streams from IoT Devices
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a concept based on making our lives better. But the implementation of IoT devices is far from ideal. While IoT devices offer convenience, they also actively track your activities and send more data to the cloud. Recent studies have shown that IoT devices account for more than 30% of data produced today.
That number is only growing. In the old days, IoT devices were limited to smart home appliances like thermostats and refrigerators. Today, IoT devices are everywhere. The fitness tracker that you wear every day, the smart coffee cup and smart pen you use to scan business cards, and even the bigger gadgets like your internet-enabled car – they are all collecting data.
The range data collected is expanding too. Smartwatches are no longer limited to tracking your movement. They can also check your posture, sleeping patterns, and the way you spend your day in general. More advanced devices track your blood oxygen level in real-time and can even notify you if you have been sitting down for too long.
The smart toothbrush that is now gaining popularity is tracking even more things. Its sensors monitor the overall health of your mouth, taking note of your mouth bacteria count and the patterns you follow when brushing your teeth. Smart scales will even tweet about your weight to help you stay motivated for longer.
Data Collection, Where?
These data streams must be collected and processed somewhere. Where exactly? It highly depends on the devices you use and the companies with whom you engage. Xiaomi and Huawei devices are notorious for collecting user data and sending detailed analytics to cloud clusters in China. Businesses who use certain analytical tools have servers in Estonia and Ireland for flexibility.
What’s worse is that these data collection practices are actually legal. Corporations hide behind their EULAs, their unclear and dubious privacy policies, and the weak regulations governing their server farms to continue exploiting user data for commercial gains. Companies are turning us into data points to be harvested.
That last sentence sounds familiar, doesn’t it? As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the interactions between us, the corporations, and our data are beginning to look like we are living in the Matrix.
