Everyone is Collecting Your Data, And You Know It

Recently, Adobe faced severe backlash for forcing users to accept its privacy policy before allowing them to use its products. The concern was mainly around Adobe’s rights to use and modify user content to operate and improve its services. 

Adobe accessing and analysing user content through automated and manual methods for various purposes, such as customer support, is another reason that left the users fuming, so much so that many contemplated abandoning Adobe. 

The recent outcry may seem unwarranted, considering how most companies often collect user data to improve their products and services. However, the extent to which they collect such data is questionable. 

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Why Collect Data?

“Millions of businesses, large and small, rely on Google Analytics to understand customer preferences and create better experiences for them,” saidVidhya Srinivasan, VP/GM at Google Ads, noting the impact of user data on business growth.  

Companies like Meta and Google are notorious for offering free services and collecting your data in return – and you don’t have a choice here. 

Unless you use a locally hosted service or an open-source software, it’s very rare that you would decline to accept a policy and still get to use the product. 

What really matters here is how companies process your data.

A Quora user said, “You would recognise your name and bank account number, but knowing that your browser is collecting and storing your ‘session IDs’ wouldn’t tell you much because you probably don’t know what they are or what they can be used for.”

Data Collection is Good

A great example of data collection in healthcare is how the Apple Watch saved the life of Toralv Østvang, where the device (Apple Watch Series 4) detected a hard fall and automatically called emergency services. 

The Apple Watch health data is encrypted on the device and in iCloud and Apple cannot read it. This way, users have granular control over which apps can access their health data.

Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase developed an AI-powered fraud detection system that analyses customer behaviour and spending patterns. They used the tech to successfully protect their client Wei from a $99,101 fraudulent payment. 

Another handy example of data collection being in favour of the users is when Google Maps collects your GPS data to show you routes with better traffic conditions and the fastest route possible. 

Data, if collected with the right intent, can be of great help in improving the overall user experience.

But There are Caveats

After the recent announcement from Apple regarding integrating ChatGPT into their gadgets, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was furious and said if Apple integrated OpenAI at the core OS level, he would ban all Apple devices from his companies.

Similarly, Samsung had put a ban on ChatGPT after a misuse of the chatbot resulted in a sensitive data leak. 

Then there’s Reddit's plans to licence its user-generated content to AI companies for training their models, which is expected to generate $203 million in revenue over the next few years. 

Likewise, Stack Overflow announced a partnership with OpenAI to improve the latter’s coding-related AI models using Stack Overflow's database of over 58 million programming questions and answers.

Apart from selling data to train AI models, there have been other instances where the data stored to improve user experience was used by organisations for their own profit.

Not so long ago, the data of up to 87 million Facebook users was unethically obtained by Cambridge Analytica, predominantly to be used for political advertising. Meanwhile Verizon used “supercookies” to track millions of mobile customers’ internet browsing without their knowledge or consent. 

Apparently, Vizio, a manufacturer of smart TVs, settled with the FTC for $2.2 million after the company was found tracking the viewing habits of millions of users on the sly. 

Most users only want the companies to be upfront about what data they are collecting, how it will be used, and who it will be shared with. People should have the ability to opt-out of data collection or delete their data if desired.

There are other ways you can protect your online privacy such as using privacy centric search engines like DuckDuckGo and gradually switching to open-source software will enhance your online privacy by miles. 

After all, like Geoffrey Moore, theorist and author of Crossing the Chasm, said: "Without big data analytics, companies are blind and deaf, wandering out onto the web like deer on a freeway.”