"Privacy, Online & Off" - Blog #8

https://www.itpro.co.uk/security/innovation-at-work/30179/the-history-of-hacking

Most people are aware that everything we do online is recorded in some shape or form, but what we do not know is the extent in which our information is being analyzed. Privacy has been the main topic of a lot of conversations in today's technologically oriented society because there are so many platforms that could be taking our information without us knowing. There is also the trust aspect where people nowadays accept the fact that our information is exposed every time we click on a link or website.

This past Summer, I interned for a Federal IT Contracting group located in Washington, D.C. where I acted as a recruiter, making fifty calls per day to potential employees that would fill these government jobs. In order to complete the hiring process and find out if the candidate was fully eligible for that specific position, we needed to check their government clearance, whether it be through the DOD or something else. To check the clearance we needed either the candidates DOD # and date of birth or their social security number. I was shocked that most of these candidates felt comfortable enough to give me their SSN not knowing that I was just an intern who had proved themselves to be capable of taking on the larger role as a recruiter. 

https://hls.ted.com/talks/2314.m3u8?preroll=newshortintro_053119&qr

The Christopher Soghoian TEDTalk, "How to Avoid Surveillance...with the Phone in your Pocket", reminded me of those potential candidates and their willingness to give me their SSN not even considering that "our telephones and the networks that carry our calls were wired for surveillance first", according to Soghoian. Whether it be a candidate sharing their SSN or a mother asking their kids what they want for dinner, little do they know someone could be listening. Soghoian adds that person listening "might be your own government...it could also be another government...or a hacker or criminal or stalker..." which reiterates the fact that we have no idea who and where our information is going to.