Commentary
Privacy, American-Style: Most People Are Worried, Republicans More Than Democrats
- by Ray Schultz , Columnist, October 18, 2023
Sorry to have to tell you this: It’s time to sober up.
Americans are very concerned about their privacy, and they trust business less than they trust government, judging by How Americans View Data Privacy, a study by Pew Research Center.
Republicans are more worried than Democrats -- …
Ray Schultz is the former editor of DM News, Chief Marketer, Direct, Circulation Management and other marketing titles.
I'm surprised these numbers aren't HIGHER.
The millenials at tech companies have no compunction about violating anyone's privacy. With just a person's name ANYONE can find out where you live, your email address, telephone, relatives, neighbors, places you ahve lived previously, where you shop, where you eat, I can get a picture of your house, see what kind of car you drive, and if your home has ever been on the market, I can tour every room in your house and take screen shots as well. How violating and intrusive is that? And anyone with a computer can do it. A 5 year old can look through your house and share it with his friends.
People think of Amazon as a merchandise company- WRONG. They are a data comapny selling everything they can find out about you.
When Amazon decided to get into the pharmacy business, I called a number to get just a price on a prescription. Their system played 20 questions with me, and then asked "Do you want your prescription request to be merged with your medical records?" HOW THE FUDGE does Amazon have access to my personal medical records?
There should be ZERO trust in the ability of ANY company to secure your personal information and not sell it to the highest bidder.
Verizon markets a "location device" wrapped around Mom on the side of a country road with the radiator of the car boiling over and 2 kids in the background, and tells you it offers "peace of mind" for loved ones. IT'S A TRACKING DEVICE and it can collect data on where you go, which businesses you shop at, how many times a week you go there, how long you stay and "Viola" coupons appear for the stores you shop at...what a coincidence. It's NOT a safety device, it tracks everything you do, and then sells the data to merchants for a revenue stream where you're the product. Dad's in for a rude surprise when the wife finds out he spends 3 hours every Wednesday, at the Holiday Inn in the next town over.
The tech millennials who gave your privacy away, think it's "cool." They have little concern for any shred of privacy you might hope to keep for yourself.