---
# System prepended metadata

title: Privacy Footprint
tags: [CDA]

---

###### tags: `CDA`

# Privacy Footprint

[Go to Main Page](https://hackmd.io/@Rakku/SyRdRbD1u)

It is hard to truly anonymize data (Kernighan 2017), and keeping your data open to the network available for large corporations and agencies seems a bit too invasive. We might try to cover our tracks by using incognito, blocking our cookies, or even using a VPN, but our data is collected from multiple sources then stitched together to paint a detailed picture of aspects of our life. The cost to give us better targeted advertisements has become very expensive. All the millions of dollars that go along with data provision and web searches must be paid somehow, usually by advertising revenue.

A quick [google search]( https://www.google.com/search?q=rakshit+bhimsaria&oq=rakshit+bhim&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i60l3j69i61l2.2815j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) just gave my LinkedIn profile and my family business’ website that I made, these were some things I do not mind having pop up in my feed, but it does show how it was able to tag particulars about me throughout the web. Giving actual data was due to me not having a very common name.

![](https://i.imgur.com/rFlhWMl.png)

And a search in [Spokeo](https://www.spokeo.com/) luckily gave the results as below, giving me a sigh of relief.
Data is the backbone of the digital economy, and it is impossible to escape sensors that will scour you for data and retain your privacy. As said by Kernighan, it is wise to be wary.

![](https://i.imgur.com/qkU6FJa.png)

![](https://i.imgur.com/o8gRXrU.png)

A [WebKay](https://webkay.robinlinus.com/) search gave me information that I did not even know was publicly accessible by other websites, such as the social media I am logged into. If they can access those cookies, what is to prevent my password being leaked around the internet.
Knowing this from [Haridy’s article](https://newatlas.com/computers/facebook-not-secretly-listening-conversations/) Similar to the screenshots I have attached above, more than half of android apps have permissions for taking screenshots, and many were doing so and sending it to third party sources. This is the “more disturbing truth” that the article talks about because it ‘has potential to be much worse than having the cameras taking pictures of the ceiling or the microphone recording pointless conversations’, according to David Choffnes. He also says how “There is no easy way to close this privacy opening”, which is even scarier.

![](https://i.imgur.com/sMGjrXp.png)

The complexity that goes around is tough to wrap your head around, and it is fascinating how they can know when to feed you an ad from your local electronics store that your air conditioner needs servicing. This screenshot from my [Google Ads Preference](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCQQFjABahUKEwjh44b1isLIAhXLNz4KHZXqCgQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsettings%2Fads%2Fonweb&usg=AFQjCNFeTXDeKdHrOlqW6Q_NNVmcufSKpA&sig2=y_wlMcdUiTtFVThJS5L_jQ&cad=rja) is also appalling on how much data they actually keep. This is not even half of the list. Hopefully, we understand all this very soon to prevent our data going all over the place.
