Hi to everyone and welcome back to one of my post. Today were going to be talking about privacy and security. I’m going to talk about how apps like Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram know so much information about us. I’m going to also mention some articles and videos that talk about the topic. I will also mention and talk about a useful app called Disconnect.me.

  • Facebook and Twitter know your profile even if you don’t have an account: This article written by the newspaper “El País” talks about how the pages Facebook and Twitter know more information about us then we think. This apps use widgets or better said their own personal tools to find out information like, our friend list and the things we like. But the real question is that can this happen even if you don’t have a social media account? well the answer is yes. This is called “Perfiles en la sombra”, this is where even if you may not have an account on any of these apps, but either way this type of media know information and data about you. This happens when we visit this pages or apps and allow them to have access to our contact list. For more information on this topic, click the title and it will take you to the article.
  • I downloaded the information that Facebook has on me. Yikes: This article written by Tech FIx talks about a persons reaction and experience at getting a copy of the data Facebook has on them. Apparently Facebook retines and saves information about each one of us without even knowing it. This person, surprised with what they’re finding out, starts saying and talking about the information Facebook has recollected. Because of this information recollected by this app, its used by companies to know what we as an audience want to see or want. This happens cause most of these pages are associated with Google, allowing that when we search for something on the internet for some reason and add for it pops up on our Facebook. To read the rest of the article click the title.
  • Are you ready? This is all the data Facebook and Google have on you: This article written by the newspaper “Guardian” talks about the amount of information and data that Google has on each one of us. It basically recollects everything you have ever searched for and seen since starting to use the internet. It recollects information like, the date and time of your locations, search history, apps you have used, photos and more. Everything you have ever searched for on the internet, Google basically knows about it. Even if it sounds scary and may not want to believe it or look it up, you should check it out to see what’s the information and data they may have on you. To see more information on this article click on the title.

In the video’s titled; Why Care About Internet Privacy?; A Cyber Privacy Parable; The pros and cons of facial recognition and Glenn Greenwald: Why privacy matters; talk about different aspects of the internet and its use. In the first video of “Why Care About Internet Privacy?” it talks about how whenever we search or browse the internet, the websites we click in to collect information on us and how companies and businesses use this for their own advantage. The second video, “A Cyber Privacy Parable”, shows us what can happened when digital information falls into the wrong hands and how it can threaten or even ruin your life. In the video titled “The pros and cons of facial recognition” talks about the use of facial recognition and if its actually a breach of privacy and ethics towards the public. In the TED talk done by Gleen Greenwald he talks about the internet and how its privacies work, how privacy should matter and about the Edward Snowden files, which had information revealing how the USA has surveillance of private citizens.

Now lets talk about Disconnect.me. This app and website is known as a partly open source browser extensions for all types of electronical devices. Some being Android, IPhone, computer, tablets and more. Its used to stop non-consensual third party trackers on the platforms you may use constantly. It also helps provide a private web search and browsing solutions. For some example on how to download and use this app click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Fv7DakZYA.

Here I present to all of you what showed up when I used Disconnect.me. In the two images above you can see I used this app on the websites Feedly and WordPress. Where it shows the third parties that pop up when looking for this websites. I was honestly surprise cause of what had shown up cause I really didn’t expect to see that amount of third parties, especially on this websites that are used constantly. Also shows we should pay plenty of attention to these type of things.

In my opinion its extremely important to know about this types of information. Cause its better to be well informed then not have a clue what’s happening with the information you put on the internet. And what else could be out there without your knowledge or consent. Yes, I agree with it being a scary thought finding out what type of information they have on you but its important that you know about it. Ii would like to end this post saying thank you for reading and I wish all of you the best.