Terminalcoffee discussion

If you watched 60 Minutes, you saw all the web entities hovering and gathering your information. It felt creepy and invasive and made me question whether I really need to order from Amazon.

I am not a fan of our version of 60 minutes, it tends to over sensationalise anything it reports. Having said that, data is being gathered about us from our online activities whether we like it or not.

I'd rather not say.

I have operated for quite awhile on the theory that everything I do online (and largely, in public) is known to others and have behaved accordingly (usually).

Gail wrote: "I am not a fan of our version of 60 minutes, it tends to over sensationalise anything it reports. Having said that, data is being gathered about us from our online activities whether we like it or ..."

Every time I stumble upon 60 Minutes I'm surprised it's still on.

Maybe it's because I am of the "younger generation" (I'm 24), but I don't find it scary when sites like Amazon track wwhat I order. In fact, I think it is cool that Amazon can learn what I like and recommend similar things I might like but wouldn't have thought of trying. In terms of social media interactions, I think the absence of privacy is also advantageous because it does hold me accountable and give me incentive to think before I post because anything I say could come back to bite me. I will be looking for a job in a couple months when I finish school, and employers do look at your behavior on social media.I am tempted to only pay with cash once I set out on my own though. It seems like every day, you hear about anotherstore's credit card system being hacked. That is something to worry about.

It's also a seriously good idea to pay cash when one buys anything controversial and/or sexual in nature. If you are into sex toys (and they are fine, don't get me wrong, not being judgmental) it would seem wise to pay cash. If one isn't "out" it might be prudent to pay cash for literature with a GLT theme.

But I think it's best to assume SOMEONE is watching everything you buy or do and behave accordingly. I'm not being paranoid, just prudent. I have run into friends and acquaintences in weird places and at unlikely times all over the world, including the time I ran into a workmate in the lobby of the Louvre.

You'd better watch out. Pans of 60 minutes aside, we all know that information is being gathered on us via online activities, cell phones, and computers in our cars.

It's as important to me as most people, I guess. I know online isn't a pure private place so I don't go on it expecting that.

MissJessie wrote: "It's also a seriously good idea to pay cash when one buys anything controversial and/or sexual in nature. If you are into sex toys (and they are fine, don't get me wrong, not being judgmental) it w...But I think it's best to assume SOMEONE is watching everything you buy or do and behave accordingly. I'm not being paranoid, just prudent. I have run into friends and acquaintences in weird places and at unlikely times all over the world, including the time I ran into a workmate in the lobby of the Louvre. "

I agree, better safe than sorry and always good to be prepared.

Privacy is very important to me. But it's not longer up to me when hackers can get my info from government websites. I've frozen my credit and requested a PIN number from the IRS. If there's more that can be done, I'd love suggestions.

Scout wrote: "Privacy is very important to me. But it's not longer up to me when hackers can get my info from government websites. I've frozen my credit and requested a PIN number from the IRS. If there's more t..."

As we approach the next tax season, what makes anyone think that the IRS is secure?

Nothing is secure. I re-read 1984 recently because it's cited so often these days. Scary stuff that we're dealing with every day.

Privacy is very important to me, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't exist any more.