Tips On Protecting Your Privacy from A.I.

Surviving in the information age

We live in a world of opposites. Anything we deem to be positive also has a side that we would deem to be negative. One of the benefits of technology is that we have access to more information than ever before.

The dark side of this is that much of this information is unintentionally incorrect or specifically designed to manipulate and mislead us. We live in a society ever more dependent on A.I. and information that is often designed to feed off of disinformation.

Most democratic societies assume a certain right to privacy on the part of the individual, yet personal privacy has been eroding since the late 1800s and has accelerated with the advent of new technologies. The amount of information about you that is available to corporations, governments and other organizations is mind-boggling. Most of this information is not the result of some government or corporate conspiracy organized by “Big Brother” as described in the book “1984” by George Orwell).

Rather it is the result of the ordinary choices that each of us make in daily life. As you interact with the community and society, you are conducting numerous transactions that are being recorded. Maybe you made a phone call, used a credit or debit card, went online to check your e-mail, researched the book “1984” by George Orwell online, used a discount card at a supermarket, drove on the highway through a toll booth, or used the photo ID on your driver’s license to gain entry or to prove who you are.

Each of these activities produces data about who you are and what you do. Most of it is recorded organized and stored. By the date that this conversation was created (1999), one American Corporation claimed to have consumer data on 95% of American households. In addition, many companies have some form of electric surveillance of their employees.

As information gathering and “Big Data” becomes more prevalent in the world the influencer must develop knowledge of changes in technology. What is the future of technology? It is hard to predict such a thing. By the 1990s one could purchase a tiny microphone capable of recording a whispered conversation from across a street. Cameras become smaller all of the time and many technologies are merging. And then there is biometrics — the science and technology of measuring and statistically analyzing biological data.

In recent years a new element has entered the game of power and influence. Rather than getting access to information it is keeping others from your information. There has been much debate between those who wish to enact privacy of information laws and those want to be buy and sell it as they please. It seems that in the end, anyone can create walls to protect information and highly skilled hackers can breach those walls.

An interesting solution was proposed in 1990, by David Brin in his book “The Transparent Society.” Brin, a Physicist and Science fiction writer, points out that as much as ordinary individuals fear the loss of privacy through technology, governments, and the most wealthy and powerful individuals and corporations have the same fear, even if for different reasons. His solution is to simply do away with all restrictions. As crazy as this might sound and as unlikely as it is ever to pass, most people and most organizations — private or governmental have something to hide.

Brin points out that privacy is doomed and transparency would give all of us the power to know who knows what about us and thus keep those in power from abusing that power. I am sure there are many valid arguments against Brin’s idea, it is presented in general terms so he doesn’t discuss what would happen to “transparency violators, or how they would be held accountable. There is also the problem of the age we live in (the early part of the 21st century). A time when violent criminals, as well as economic, political, and religious terrorists, have learned to use informational technology to further less-than-acceptable agendas. Nevertheless, it would make an interesting conversation I am sure.

Of course, the point can be made that if everyone has access to the same information this would serve as a deterrent to those who would violate the common laws of “information courtesy.” This is an interesting point. A similar one is made by those who believe in the right to bear arms. If everyone has the freedom to own a weapon those with bad intentions are deterred from using their weapons to harm others out of the awareness that others with arms would use their weapons against the violator.

The Takeaway

So ultimately the question is this, “is it best to limit access to our private information, or better to have total transparency.” There is a saying, “Just because I am paranoid, doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out to get me.”

There is no easy answer to the dilemma of information dispersal and how it may serve us or harm us. Information is power. The more information any of us has, the more power we have access to. Privacy seems like a logical idea. After all, do we want a database that has our DNA stored it, even if it is a useful tool for fighting disease or crime? Yet it seems that no matter how secure information may be someone with a strong enough intention will somehow get to it. Since information is power, we always have the choice to limit the actions we take that leave a paper or digital trail. This is an important issue for governments and international organizations of all types and forms.

This story is an excerpt from my course “How to Become Really Wealthy”

©Lewis Harrison, all rights reserved.

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Before you go…

I am Lewis Harrison, a successful entrepreneur, and advisor to philanthropists. I am also the award-winning author of over twenty books on business, leadership, personal growth, and strategic thinking. I teach seminars and speak on personal development, and life strategies throughout the world. Reach out to me at…

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