They Collect. They Steal. They Control. They Profit.

That’s right. At this moment, someone is stealing your information, they are spying on you, and they are selling this to the highest bidder. I am not kidding.

Every little thing you do is scrutinized and analyzed to the tiniest movement you make.

Even worse, your private conversations are recorded, stuff you write (and delete) is saved in a large database, and depending where you are in the world, they might even listen to whatever you say through your phone’s microphone, or even what you don’t say: the music you are listening to, whether you live near the train tracks, or your barking dog.

And then everything you get to read, to watch, to see: they have meticulously curated it especially for you. They decide what you see. They control what information gets to you, and more importantly, what doesn’t.

So, how does this make you feel?

Personally, I am outraged. And so should you be.

If it was the government of your country I was talking about, would you initiate a coup d’état? If it was the government of another country spying on you, would you demand your government make it stop? If it was your neighbor, would you go to the authorities to report it?

Think about it for a little while.

Because who I am talking about, who is actually spying on you, and profiting off you, is doing so with your consent.

That’s right.

Facebook. Twitter. Google. Instagram. And many other social networks. They are doing exactly what you wouldn’t want your (democratically) elected government to do. What you wouldn’t want your neighbor to do. Or even want your mom to do!

Outraged? Join the discussion on May 3rd at 7pm with Generator 9.8 and Topishare on issues of current social media and what solutions exist.

Working language: English

Free entrance

At: Generator 9.8, Atoneli st 29 (near Dry Bridge), Tbilisi.

Inge Snip