Claire Hennessey

As a long time Facebook user, this is definitely tough to think about! I think personally that my issue with the way social media/tech companies are using our data is the lack of transparency. For years, these sites have been compiling this information and creating profiles about me to sell to advertisers without my explicit permission (besides what’s buried in the site’s terms and conditions). I don’t mind having tailored ads, but I think it would have been more ethical for these companies to tell us upfront what they’re doing with the data. Even now, is there anything stopping Facebook from selling my data to more harmful parties than advertisers? I also have concerns about the older generations/anyone not tech-savvy. I mentioned this in another comment, but my mom is always calling me confused about how Facebook seems to be tailoring the ads she gets based on what she’s just been talking about. I think it’s more predatory to take advantage of people like that who really don’t know what they’re signing up for.

Maybe we should be able to explicitly opt in or opt out to data collection. Would that be more ethical?

I agree in that I think it is essential that we question how our data is being used and if it is ethical or legal. I opened a Facebook account back in 2008 – that was my first experience with social media. It was only in the past few years that I really began to think about the implications of a business having access to our personal information, how it is being used and what this means for the future. Not to mention how these companies can influence our decisions, politics, what we read, what we share, etc. Nowadays I am more likely to reconsider before downloading a new social app. I’ve decided not to put TikTok on my phone, even though I am curious to see what all the hype is about. With that said, I may be naive, but I buy into the stance that Facebook is offering their services for a price. Although it seems free, nothing is free. We are paying with information about ourselves in order for Facebook to sell advertising, and we can keep using their service for free. I know that I have the ability to quit Facebook. To a great extent, our lives are being made easier through means of using our data for businesses to make decisions about consumer habits.

I fully believe that tracing apps will continue to being used. One area that comes to mind is law enforcement. In the future there could be an app that goes onto registered sex offenders phones that alert parents when there is one in the area. While these apps are good for public health and safety, this is a double edge sword.

How much freedom and control of their data are people willing to give out to companies. Data is the new raw material for the information revolution. Companies have a large market of legal data that they buy and sell.

Thank you for bringing up this important concept that I do not think a lot of people think about.