Sidney on Full Parade

The use and implementation of services that take our data, personal information, and livelihoods and put them on full display for monetization and profit are each in their own not that rare but oh so very cruel. I'll admit that I never really paid much mind to what services I signed up for asked for, whether it be phone number, Facebook login, age, or geographic location - everything short of social security or birth certificate info - as long as I could use the app or website even for some minutes afterwards, I'd tell them all they wanted to know. But that luxury was one that was afforded to me by my father, a businessman in the Information Technology field. My inexperience with the cruelty of the world was so bad that eventually he had an alert on his phone that let him know if I was about to give away crucial information for extra gems on a subway surfers level. I'm embarrassed to say that it worked.

    However, how easy it was for a child to give up vital facts about ways of life is incredibly frightening when put into perspective. When I was growing up it was required that every child know their address by heart and we were made to repeat it each day to our teacher for verification or we were not allowed to go out and play that day or any other until it was imbedded into our brains. Later when phones became more widespread in the youth population, my parents had me instill their numbers into my mind to not be forgotten. These tactics for sure worked in making me recall all the particulars that I would need if it ever came to it, but they did nothing for letting me know when and with whom that information would be okay to share. Though in far reach, I would suggest the implementation of lessons on what sharing this information could do in the not-so-long run (like an internet is forever type of childhood realization). 

    In conclusion, the issue of personal data being exploited and the need for vigilance in safeguarding privacy is one that cannot be ignored. Even having individual experience with the issue, educating individuals, particularly children about the implications of sharing sensitive information is vital. By instilling a mindful approach to privacy from a young age, we can empower individuals to make informed choices and limit the risks of data spills. Bringing in a culture of information awareness is crucial to protecting ourselves to the increasingly simple ways for invasive incursions into our personal lives.

Funny ten second Instagram video that encompasses most all of my points: Free Giveaway