NPR and the Centre for Investigative Reporting explore the digital picture of the typical person in a report and accompanying four-part series on “All Things Considered,” which began last night.
The authors emphasize this takeaway point:
While there are some measures you can take to prevent the government and others from monitoring your data and movements, much of what we do online and in public spaces can be used, sold and shared to create a remarkable detailed portrait of our lives.
Here are a few of the activities that, according to NPR’s report, compromise privacy:
- “Law enforcement can create a map or timeline of a person’s whereabouts by accessing data from license-plate scanners, toll-bridge crossings and mobile phone carriers and, without much trouble, access records on your power consumption, purchasing habits and even snail mail.”
- Commuter surveillance occurs in the following ways:
- Surveillance cameras
- “[S]ome retailers reportedly are using . . . facial recognition technology”
- Smart cards used for public transportation
- Three ways attorneys (civil and government) can access private data:
- Search warrants
- Court orders
- Subpoenas
You can read the full report here and find part one of the series here.
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