“In God we trust; all others bring data.” ― W. Edwards Deming
My ex-boss used to cite this quote a lot. It is true how important data is to make decisions. Such decisions are objective and based on an understanding. Data tells a story and more often than not, we want to know that story. Whether it is tracking trends, seeing the bigger picture or making a decision that’s scientific and well-vetted, data comes in handy.
The apps you use, the websites you browse, the pictures you share and the tweet you post are all contributing to data. Companies buy the information they need and it feeds into analysis that we are unknowingly a part of. Some call it a science. It is even taught as a subject and I recently heard a marketing campaign on radio on learning this science. True.
The first time I was told that my browsing history fed to the ads I saw on Facebook, I was surprised and a bit shocked.
I was looking for a footwear on e-retailers. After some search, I landed on a website but did not buy. I thought that a store would be better to try out and then buy what I needed. But then later during the day when I saw the same footwear on Facebook, you wouldn’t believe my reaction.
“This is Universe’s way of telling me to buy the footwear.”
I ended up buying that footwear. This was long ago and I would like to believe I am not so naive anymore.
Data is scary and below are a few ways you did not know how the data you unknowingly share, impacts you.
- If your phone’s battery is low, you are far from home and it’s late in the day, app based cab companies will charge a premium on your ride.
- If you looking for the best air fares in a particular sector and your search is not private, you will be charged higher if you don’t make a decision quickly. The rates go up as you search day after day.
- Some apps that request microphone use can record conversations.
- Your location is out in the open. Apps track it. So if you travelling or at work, the information is out there.
- You give access to your contacts to many apps.
- I never give my number to NGOs but I get a call almost every week to donate. They tell me things that will move me and urge me to donate.
- Credit cards – I keep saying no to credit cards from other banks where I don’t have an account but I still get calls.
- I get reminders to stock up my lens solution and contact lenses. This is when I have never asked for a reminder.
- I sometimes use an app for grocery shopping. Before I check out and pay, the app prompts, ‘Are you missing these essential items?’ Most times, I don’t look into the list but they know what I buy and how much.
- Your age, gender and city of residence is out there.
There is lot more to all this and we all know this is only the tip of an iceberg. As much as all the data we share is unavoidable, excess of anything is harmful. VT is off Facebook but then he has an Android phone. I have tried turning off data or sharing information on apps but then apps don’t function well. There is no choice.
We live in the times when there is no way we cannot contribute. As owners of data that we give away, we should know where it has been shared. Full disclosure is a must and that doesn’t mean “I accept”.
Linking up with #MondayMusings today.
happiness and food 
I totally know where you are coming from … I used to feel the same too but now I have made a change, trying to use the devices in private mode and also ensuring that they are not integrated with each other.
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When you use something for free, you are the product–I knew this a long time back. My location on the phone and the microphone are turned off, but I know that I’m online, and so all of my data is floating out there. I wish social media would start charging us, so that they don’t have to make money by selling our data.
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Yes, it plagues me no end to know that my movements, my purchases, my data on everything related to me is out there! What can we do to stop that? Absolutely nothing. It is scary how much information is floating around that could easily allow people to stalk us all the time.
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The various points you have listed how companies are using/misusing our info and details is scary. Thank you for writing this post and bringing our attention to this hazard. I cannot avoid a lot of stuff but one thing is I am not going to hit allow for apps asking for access to the microphone.
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Hi Parul,
This is a very relevant post. It is obnoxiously scary how are lives have suddenly stopped being personal and private.
I recently figured if you leave Alexa switched on through the day, all your conversations and interactions might be in the process of being recorded in more ways than you know.
Technology I feel is becoming more of a bane than a boon. Less human interactions, an impatience to get things done/achieved right away, taking us away from the reality of making real connections. I know lots to be grateful for, but at the same time so many challenges galore, especially for bloggers like us who need to be constantly on these channels.
I’ve slowly but surely worked my way away from these distractions, but it doesn’t stop there. Every day is a challenge to not give in to the lure of social media, given our job profiles and writing related work.
Sorry if this sounds like a ramble. Maybe I should write a post on this! Ha! Ha!
By the way, which grocery app is that? Don’t mind giving it a try if it’s not too intrusive. :p
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It is indeed so scary reading the way our info is out there. And, we can’t even do much about it, can we? If we really want to put an end to it all, we need to go back to the stone age–chuck our phones and laptops and every damn gadget into the sea and go back to living life the way we did, before all this happened! It is really scary, yaar!
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And they don’t even give you an option other than yes and no. I mean give something call partially accept or something. They all want to make money out of us. It’s scary to think about how much of our data is so readily available. But even then we are kinda addicted to it. I want to see how future would like with all these advancements.
I didn’t know cab companies could charge you more if battery is low. That’s just insane.
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The worst is that there’s no way to say no to giving your data. So we have no choice but to grin and bear it, I suppose! Big data is the next big field – and how marketers will use it is what will make it a good thing or bad.
I didn’t know cab companies would charge you more if your battery is low. That’s predatory behaviour!
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Oh I hear you — it’s scary. I swear Facebook listens to conversations in person too – I remember some years ago, a friend and I were talking in person about how I needed to start looking for a housemate. That evening, an ad for Flatmates.com.au came up on Facebook. I have the stuff you referred to happen with my grocery shopping etc. I don’t know a way around it honestly.
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The low battery-cab thingy is disgusting!! Shocking too how this is being allowed. I wonder how do you search for airfare in “private” mode cause yes that going up thingy is what I have faced several times.
Its a shocker to see your FB feed adapted to your daily surfing! I have stopped using internet on the phone to do any surfing / bank work, etc. Cleaning out the cookies help moderately but yeah I am being tracked is evident all around me!
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I’ve always been saying that data misuse is rampant but the actual truth is, as long as we are online, we cannot do anything about it. Even if we were to delete our social media accounts today, we have no control over the data we’ve already shared online and that’s the truth
I am super wary about sharing family pictures online, personal details and so much more but I also know that something will slip through the cracks every now and then. Data mining is real.
We just need to be aware of it at all times and also watch ourselves online. It’s one reason I have reduced posting almost anything on Facebook these days. Of course, Instagram still exists, so that’s not much help, is it? 🙂
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This is so scary and it bugs me. Like you, I have tried to ‘deny’ access to the apps but then you are denied to access them. I have also seen, that if I am booking an Ola, and dont get one in my location, so there’s an option to ‘Retry’. When I retry, there’s a surge in the fare. It’s like the app knows that you are desperate for a cab so take advantage of that! I wasnt aware of the low battery and high fare thing. This is truly pathetic!
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Its really scary… But the internet is a big part of our lives now and its very difficult to go back to the older technology.. i guess minimal sharing and bare minimum app permissions and regular monitoring is the only solurion..
Very pertinant topic Parul!
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We went to a sports store last week and when we got back home my husband’s Facebook app was showing him ads from that particular store we visited.
We were talking about a particular product; we were planning to buy it. But we didn’t research about it on google or on any online platform; just discussed at home. The next thing we know, Dileep’s Facebook app was showing ads of that product.
Can you believe it? I told him that it is better to uninstall the app. I don’t have a FB app on the phone.
A friend of my husband’s use an Android phone. But he doesn’t use his primary or secondary gmail on the phone. A duplicate email signed up just to use the phone. So his data is safe and not with google. For us, it’s far too late. 🙂
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