# Privacy Footprint
## Reading Response
*How concerned should we be about our privacy online? Is there anything we can do to protect it?*

Would you be surprised to learn that an app "took video of the screen activity and sent that information to a third party" Haridy (2019)?

For some time there have been conspiracy theories that Facebook and other social media platforms are listening through the microphones on our devices. Researchers from Wandera conducted an experiment that debunked this theory and that this brief of privacy may even be worse than just listening to our voices. They explain that instead of using cameras or microphones certain apps track data by screenshotting and screen recording your phone activity and giving it to third-party users. With a combination of other methods for finding and keeping track of our data, these apps have been able to use it to advertise products that seemingly "exactly correspond to a recent conversation" (2019). It's quite frightening to see how accurately our data can be tracked that it sparked theories that these companies have genuinely been listening to us as if they were with us in person.

A question I have that elicits concern is how far will algorithms go and how can play into *Monomania*? A term we recently discussed in class that emphasizes having no room for varying opinions within something. In this case, algorithms have gotten so good and accurate that do they leave room for something other than what we already supposedly like? "Everything that makes your phone useful, like knowing where you are, taking photos, enabling online shopping and banking – these are exactly where the potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities are"(2019). In many cases, monomania has gotten so bad that it has become an illness, and I want to know how algorithms can play into this if it all. Are they shaping how we live and our interests alone?

## Screenshots
* Your identity
- Do a web search of sites, images, and videos associated with your name.

When searching my name I could not find much considering there were many others online with the same name. Including a famous baseball player that obviously steals the shine. But when pairing my name with a website I have an account an, such as LinkedIn, you can see I pop up as a result in the sea of Jacob Lopez's.



Do a TruePeopleSearch search of your (or perhaps your parents’) name or phone number. (Do not confirm any information or pay for any extra services.)

I was quite shocked at what information I could find about myself when searching just my name and area code. Granted, the area code narrows it done by a lot but even then I find it extremely disturbing.


* Browser
- Check out What every browser knows about you

Safari

Microsfot Bing

* Google
- Check your Google Privacy and follow up with your:

- Search activity
For my search activity I noticed that I can see search results all the from as far back as 2016.
- Timeline in Google Maps.
As you may see in the screenshot I have my Google Maps timeline paused and I believe I have had it this way ever since I created my Google account. I say this because when I try to look at previous timelines I do not get any results. This feature was unknown to me until this assignment, but for privacy reasons I choose to keep this feature off.
- Google Ads Preferences. (Much of this is also available via Google Dashboard).
Th ad center is another Google feature that I never heard of and I find it quite interesting. Being able to almost pick and choose what type of ads you see could help with the question I had about Monomania in my reading response. Crafting your own algorithm of advertisements may be whats sought after from most users, but I do not hear or see this feature being used often.

* Social networks
- If you use Twitter, Facebook, or Tiktok check what you are sharing. For example, if you are concerned about FB, you can try their Privacy Checkup.

I decided to check out Facebook's privacy checkup feature, yet another social media feature I am unaware of. Most of what pops up on the checkup are things I am familiar with, like choosing what information about myself that can be seen by others (phone number, email, birthday), how people can find me on the platform (friend requests, phone numbers), and even protecting your account (two-factor). What I find interesting is how Facebook allows you to choose your ad preferences, but also how limiting it is. There isn't much information you can withhold such as my job title or shool. I think advertising preferences can be much more advanced and companies like Facebook and other advertising companies can be more transparent when it comes to the data we use.