Controlling your privacy

In the world today, everyone wants our attention.

Advertising agencies are tasked to develop campaigns that hold our attention and drive us to engage with the product that is being promoted.

Platforms that we use on a daily basis seek to keep us engaged in their universe. Algorithms and recommendation engines keep us hooked

So how can you take back some control and make sure that you are aware of how your data is being used?

Well there are a few options to consider:

-You can shut yourself off completely and delete specific apps off your devices.

-You can delete your social media profiles.

-You can replace your smart phone with a device that just allows you to make calls and sms. (An extreme measure)

-You can use a search browser like DuckDuckGo (You can even add it as a plugin to Google Chrome).

-You can make sure you update your privacy settings on the apps and platforms you are using.

It’s really up to you, but the main thing is that we can (should) all be more aware of the default settings on our devices and where our data is being utilised. We need to work with technology, keeping the ethical boundaries in check.

As more people start to challenge the use of their data and demand more privacy, platforms and digital ecosystems are responding.

Facebook recently announced that they are giving their users more control in how they

“Facebook is rolling out a new feature that allows users to control whether an advertisers can show adverts to them via Custom Audience list or not. The addition has been made to ensure that users don’t see unwanted political or social ads.” Read the full article on Business of Apps below.

Facebook will soon add a feature that lets users control the ads they see even better

*If you want to check your privacy settings on Facebook, read this.

From a personal stand point, the future excites me. However, we do need to be conscious in how we navigate it, we need to ask more questions and hold platforms/apps accountable. Technology will make our lives easier and I strongly believe that we need to use tech to help us solve some of the biggest environmental problems that we are facing.

We trade data for convenience, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that we should relinquish all control. Next time you are asked to accept a policy or update that you aren’t sure what they are asking you to accept, consider reading the terms and conditions or asking for advice.