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I often have trouble explaining to people why this is problematic. I encounter the "I've got nothing to hide" or "Who cares if I get ads that I'm more intereste

by rdruxn 8y ago

I often have trouble explaining to people why this is problematic. I encounter the "I've got nothing to hide" or "Who cares if I get ads that I'm more interested in?" arguments. What do you say to those people?

LeftTurnSignal 8y ago
I try to relate to something they understand a bit more, usually a field their interested in. For example, my brother is not techy at all, but he's big into cars. I asked him if he would enjoy Ford sending everything he's doing in his car to the mothership, then selling that info to insurance companies, or used for "marketing." (immediately he understood the issues) Then I ask if he's comfortable with knowing that if he accidentally speeds, turns too fast, or breaks too often, he may have to pay more for insurance. This obviously won't work for everyone. I do have the "i have nothing to hide" friends, but i ask them what if someone DID have something to hide? Not everyone loves "showering with the windows open." It's fine if they don't care about their lives, but what about their childrens lives, or lives of someone they care about? Once it hits that point, they usually just mention that it isn't important and go off about something else to change the subject.
Grangar 8y ago
Monday's episode of the Daily did a pretty good job with this. It opens you up to a myriad of ways for blackmailing or other nasty things through correlation attacks. The data itself is for sale and anyone with the money for it can use it however they want. Hypothetically you could make it as extreme as you want, with what's available now the following could happen with just your location data correlated with your work or home address: Your insurance company will increase your premium if they see you're often out late at night. Your employer could see if you use a vacation day to, possibly, apply at a competitor without him knowing it. Workers at a nuclear powerplant might get approached by foreign actors intercepting their commute.

by rdruxn 8y ago

LeftTurnSignal 8y ago

I try to relate to something they understand a bit more, usually a field their interested in. For example, my brother is not techy at all, but he's big into cars. I asked him if he would enjoy Ford sending everything he's doing in his car to the mothership, then selling that info to insurance companies, or used for "marketing." (immediately he understood the issues) Then I ask if he's comfortable with knowing that if he accidentally speeds, turns too fast, or breaks too often, he may have to pay more for insurance. This obviously won't work for everyone. I do have the "i have nothing to hide" friends, but i ask them what if someone DID have something to hide? Not everyone loves "showering with the windows open." It's fine if they don't care about their lives, but what about their childrens lives, or lives of someone they care about? Once it hits that point, they usually just mention that it isn't important and go off about something else to change the subject.

Grangar 8y ago

Monday's episode of the Daily did a pretty good job with this. It opens you up to a myriad of ways for blackmailing or other nasty things through correlation attacks. The data itself is for sale and anyone with the money for it can use it however they want. Hypothetically you could make it as extreme as you want, with what's available now the following could happen with just your location data correlated with your work or home address: Your insurance company will increase your premium if they see you're often out late at night. Your employer could see if you use a vacation day to, possibly, apply at a competitor without him knowing it. Workers at a nuclear powerplant might get approached by foreign actors intercepting their commute.