Why nations are after these natural resources
Clicking "Accept" on a user agreement or "OK" to cookies is second nature these days. We don't think too much about what we're agreeing to, or how exactly our data will be used. We'd pretty much have to live as Luddites if we really didn't want to share our data. Indeed, for most of us, the collection of our data only began at a certain age when the Internet came into common use. Thankfully, we were spared the immortalization of our terrible teen years. But what about children born in the last 15 years or so? Information about them may have been recorded before they were even born!
Click through the following gallery to see how companies collect children's data, and what they do with it. It makes for a bone-chilling read.
Whenever we agree to terms and conditions, we are giving companies the permission to do what they like with our information, as well as our children's.
Anthropologist Veronica Barassi became interested in this subject a few years ago and began her research project, Child Citizen Data.
She discovered that we are leaving a vast amount of data traces through our online actions.
When they become pregnant, they share ultrasound photos on social media and search their physical symptoms online. For example, "cramps in early pregnancy."
When the baby is born, its online presence only grows. Many parents post photos on Facebook, use scheduling apps, and do research online about their child's behavior or symptoms of illness.
The companies that ended up with the data included Google, Facebook and Oracle, as well as digital advertising and credit agencies.
Children are also tracked by smart home systems, virtual assistants (like Amazon's Alexa), and educational technologies and platforms at school.
While it's disconcerting to think about how much tech companies know about us, you might also question why it matters? After all, if you have nothing to hide, it's rather harmless information...
Unfortunately, it matters a lot. The information isn't just traced–it's used to create data profiles of individuals.
AI and predictive analytics are used to gather as much information as possible about an individual using their family history, social media comments, and spending habits.
Banks use it to decide on loans, insurance companies use it to decide premiums, recruiters use it to decide if someone is a fit employee, and so on.
This profiling is also used by the police and courts to decide if someone is likely to be a criminal or recommit a crime.
Veronica Barassi concluded that we should not trust tech companies with our data.
In addition to this, Barassi claims that algorithms are always swayed by the biases of their creator. For example, the AI used for predictive policing in the US has been revealed to use data from times of racial bias and non-transparent police practices.
Our data rights and our human rights are the same thing. Perhaps it's time to demand greater justice for ourselves and our children before it's too late.
What tech companies know about your children's data
Answer: far too much!
LIFESTYLE Technology
Clicking "Accept" on a user agreement or "OK" to cookies is second nature these days. We don't think too much about what we're agreeing to, or how exactly our data will be used. We'd pretty much have to live as Luddites if we really didn't want to share our data. Indeed, for most of us, the collection of our data only began at a certain age when the Internet came into common use. Thankfully, we were spared the immortalization of our terrible teen years. But what about children born in the last 15 years or so? Information about them may have been recorded before they were even born!
Click through the following gallery to see how companies collect children's data, and what they do with it. It makes for a bone-chilling read.