@aral

When the recognition system in the vending machine sees your Gucci belt and doubles all its prices as you approach it.

@aral

"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say."

-- Edward Snowden

@aral Dude! There was a speculative documentary in 2007 that argued that EXACT point. (Albeit with a urine test)

It’s on YouTube for those interested: https://youtu.be/5-px4MAKREs?si=_fdvFEKoUaTj3KXs

@aral I sometimes think about what we can't talk about on social media. How much of our social paralysis comes from our physical isolation and the difficulty of making plans together?

Even when we've got the secure tools, it's a constraint on the bandwidth.

The real political discussions happened at the bar or the restaurant after the formal meeting. And that becomes rarer and rarer.

Students rush from class to work, with no time to talk.

@aral

They are likely white straight men who wouldn't be targeted if they were to engage in civil protests.

@aral Also the aspect of - is the data they're collecting even accurate? Can you correct it? If you even know who has it? and who has access to it - random IT dude? How long do they keep it? All of that. So many people don't think about those things.

How will this incorrect information that's available about you impact your credit rating? Security checks when you apply for a job? Your medical record?

@aral Asking people for their phone password & grabbing your laptop + some cables...

Them: "What are you going to do with my phone?"

Me: "I thought you said you had nothing to hide. I'm just going to download all your photos and check your bank account and credit card purchases. I'll make sure to download all your eMails too, but I'll read those later."

And all of a sudden, privacy is important to them.

Then I tell them that Google & FB does this to them every minute of every day.

🤯

@aral

"I need privacy, not because my actions are questionable, but because your judgement and intentions are"

@aral https://mastodon.cloud/@BrianJopek@mastodon.world/112040739507230582

^ It shouldn't, but it does. The Jungle (1906) is a heart-rending tale of the evils capitalism inflicts on people, but it's remembered for "Oh God, that's what I'm eating?". Or as Upton Sinclair put it, he was aiming at America's heart but he hit it in the stomach.

@aral Surveillance capitalism has two aims:

- make money off data it has on you

OR if they can't make money off your data (or it isn't enough)

- deny anything that *spends money on you*