Freedom and security are often thought to be ideals that are competing with one another. When we focus on security, freedom is thought to be sacrificed. However, the issue of data privacy is now a central focus of both debates over personal freedom and security and safety. See how data privacy is the key to both freedom and security in the technological age.
We all claim to value privacy. However, our behaviors when it comes to technology over the past 20 or so years has done everything except to keep our privacy sacred. The advent of social media has made everyone think of themselves as a public figure, with some even becoming legitimate public figures as a result of their exposure on social networks.
Recent news has made the issue of data privacy central to discussions involving freedom and security. It is causing us all to take a hard look at what we are doing online. But will it change our behaviors?
The Overturning of Roe v. Wade & Data Privacy
Whatever side of the fence you may sit on when it comes to Roe v. Wade, we can all agree that medical records should remain 100% private, 100% of the time. What you discuss with your doctor should never be available to government agencies, the public, or even your spouse if you so choose.
This is why the government introduced the HIPAA in 1996, to keep medical data private. It essentially forbids health practitioners from discussing your medical information with third parties, unless some VERY specific criteria are met.
Some technologies, however, have been exempt from these laws because they are not necessarily medical practitioners. Certain apps that help women track their ovulation cycles have exposed and even profited from the sale of the data that has been provided to them. In an investigative story, Vice exposed the data network Narrative as having significant amounts of data for sale from these tracking apps, including Clue and others.
Freedom is being restricted by a lack of data privacy from gigantic tech companies. Because these apps are not run by doctors, and most are simply classified as “lifestyle” or “utility” apps by the major app marketplaces, they have not been put under scrutiny until the sudden overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court.
This legal decision has severe ramifications for all women and will undoubtedly lead to even criminal prosecution for attempting to terminate pregnancies. Now, data from these ovulation trackers can be used by state police agencies to arrest and charge women and their doctors with crimes, which can be felonies in some states.
This is why having a private chat application to use is so vital. While many assume text messages are private, the data can be used by government agencies and advertisers because nearly all platforms sell the data or refuse to encrypt it.
CircleIt is the only TRUE platform with 100% end-to-end encryption, creating a completely private chat between you and whomever you choose. Because some conversations are meant to be completely private, even CircleIt can't access the content of your chats with friends, family, and anyone else.
Data Privacy Can Keep You & Your Family Safe
Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice prosecuted a 24 year-old man in Lowell, MA for receiving child pornography. How did he receive it? He extorted it from the minor using Snapchat. In Michigan, the use of the Snapmap on Snapchat was used to help a 25 year-old man victimize a 15 year-old girl, and enslave her in his home. All of this because data is not secure on social media channels.
We have discussed, at length, the numerous problems associated with the data practices of Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram). We have also discussed how Meta has been sued in 8 states for blatantly collecting biometric data for commercial purposes in direct violation of laws in those states.
It is also well known that conversations had on these social media platforms are not secure or private. Between the selling of your personal information to advertisers and the AI crawling of your conversations, there is no limit to what Meta, Snapchat, and others will do to make profits from you and your information.
In fact, it was more recently shown that the government of China was spying on TikTok users in the United States, showcasing that this is not just an ‘American’ problem, but a global one. The privacy of your data is directly linked to safety and security, as these breaches, and countless others, are a direct result of the lack of privacy afforded to everyone.
What Can Be Done About Data Privacy?
Often, the argument is made that there is no solution for the rampant privacy violations of large tech companies. Much like banks were deemed “too big to fail” during The Great Recession, tech companies are banking on you feeling they are “too big to fight”.
This is because, until now, there has not been a solution for private communication. Tech companies make their money by selling data or showcasing ads (which require advertisers to purchase and use your data). Either way, you are being tracked and sold millions of times a day by companies that do not care about you or your family’s security and freedom.
CircleIt is the only 100% private solution to digital communication. Our free platform gives you the ability to chat with your inner circle privately and securely, by using military grade end-to-end encryption. Not even CircleIt can see the content of your communication. When we built our generational platform, we built it with privacy at the core.
Conversations with your family, friends, doctor and others should never be public knowledge or sold to third parties. We have committed to keeping CircleIt private, secure and free, forever. Want to see the difference a truly private communication platform can make in your life? Download CircleIt for free, add your family and friends, and start chatting today.
