The Tech Tug-o-War in the Digital Age

     "Without the use of social media and the internet we would have gotten nowhere. Without the use of social media and the internet we would have gotten everywhere." - S.E.J.

   The use of technology is one that has been equally fought for, fought over, and fought against by all parties across the world. Today we watched a documentary talking about each point brought to attention by the separate parties. 

    One point in particular to speak on, was the issue of privacy. The internet has gone above and beyond to scope out each user to understand them more deeply than they may understand themselves. For example, Facebook was mentioned in the video to have been on trial for the misuse of its platform, allowing for data privacy leaks. Facebook user's personal data was stolen and posted online for anyone to see and use as they wished. Facebook ended up settling for around $725 million. What is scary, however, is the fact that this is just the single world-wide used property that was discovered to have allowed these leaks, and even more other sites require you to let them sell your information just to use the site/app. Social media has been, for generations, used to share information of what people choose to give, while in the background, code and data works to steal the information they may have unknowingly signed away.

    The use of 'Terms and Conditions' & 'Cookies' are parades put on display to bank on the fact that people will not look at the details. In the beginning of the internet, full webpages going into detail about how your data would be used only as it needed to be and only in ways that were beneficial ruled the sites. Then not so long after, these turned into small pop up boxes to check off that wrote: "I have read and understand the terms and conditions." with hyperlinks to the long drawn out pages of information about now to whom you are signing your data away to. 

    In conclusion, the connection between technology, privacy, and consent has reached a vital juncture in this oncoming era. The widespread use of social media and the internet has pushed us forward in incredible ways, yet it has also exposed us to unprecedented risks. In reflection on how far we have come with online platforms and their handling of user data, it becomes clear that the ease of choosing 'agree' to terms and conditions not even understood, has come to hide the true implications of our digital footprint. The documentary we watched served as a reminder of the delicate balance we as a people must decipher between the movement in innovation and safeguarding our own livelihoods. Moving forward as a society we must begin to advocate for transparency and accountability in this ever-evolving online world.