Security, Privacy, and Peace of Mind — Switch to the Alternatives

So many people are focused on the notion of opposing government that they fail to recognize monopolistic information conglomerates as wielding government-like power over us. They are worried about Big Brother spying on them, but cannot seem to conceive of "Big Brother" as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, etc.

Here's a little hint, people...

We, the people, made all these platforms popular. We, the people, can make other platforms popular. Do not be afraid to leave these platforms just because "everyone I know is still using them." If you have some kind of following, if your followers (or family and friends) care about you, if they're really interested in you, they will follow you wherever you go. There is zero sense in remaining in an environment where everything you do is tracked and spied on and shared with other people. Whether you have something to hide or not is irrelevant. That is a stupid argument. Your security and privacy are rightfully yours whether you have something to hide or not.

When you warn people about Alexa (and similar products), people use that ignorant argument: "I've got nothing to hide." Really?!? So if I planted a bug in your house without you knowing it, and the next day repeated everything you and the other people in your house talked about, you wouldn't be offended that I heard everything, regardless of whether you had something to hide or not? Do not kid yourself!!! You and I both know that you would be angered at me. So do not pretend such a thing would not bother you. You only use that ridiculous argument because you don't know the people on the other end who might be listening in on you.

Women who sell their bodies stripping on webcam attempt to use the same sort of argument. "It doesn't bother me that there are thousands of people watching me." Really?!? Let's put those thousands of people right outside your windows and your door, or even in the same room, and see you do what you do. You attempt that argument because you're in the safety of your own bedroom and it feels like you're all alone. You can't see any of the people watching. But put you inside a plexiglass room with bleachers on all sides, packed with viewers, and suddenly you'll be very conscientious about it. While some of these women would be able to still go on with it, most of them would not.

Telling yourself lies does not change the situation. If you claim to be comfortable giving your personal information, including your address, away online, it does not change the fact that doing so is extremely dangerous. If you truly are comfortable with sharing such information, there could still come a day where someone breaks in while you're there or not, while you're awake or asleep, and something happens. You cannot lie and say that you would not be bothered after such a thing happened. If you truly did not care if someone listened to everything you and your spouse ever talked about, it still does not make it okay, and certainly does not make it something not to be concerned about.

Likewise, we should not be harassed with ads at every turn, and threatened not to be able to use a service unless we turn our ad blockers off. These sites have the right to posts ads, and we have the right to block them. Just as with a TV, they have the right to put ads on their channel, and we have the right to change the channel so that we don't see their ads. They do not have the right to keep their content from us unless we allow their ads. That is manipulation, and essentially blackmail. If a website will not let me use it unless I turn my ad blockers off, I make a habit of never returning to that site. I take my business elsewhere, as you should too. No website is so important that you need to sacrifice your safety and peace of mind by bowing to their demands!

For those who truly want peace of mind, and want to enjoy the security and privacy that is their right, and not treated like data to be targeted with advertisements of all shades, I encourage you to switch to the alternatives. If you have some kind of following, if they're actually interested in you, they will follow you to the next platform. The current platforms have gotten too big for their own britches and we need to let them know who is really in control. We made them popular, We can make them unpopular!