BaaBaaTurtle t1_ixgc9ch wrote on November 23, 2022 at 5:52 AM

Reply to comment by 90daylimitedwarranty in Tax Filing Websites Have Been Sending Users’ Financial Information to Facebook by phunky_1

Geoffrey Fowler at WaPo had a whole series of articles about how even if you don't use social media or Amazon or any other big tech product, through your connections and whatever apps you do use, they can make a profile of you.

Basically the "I don't use it" is immaterial. No one in the US has data privacy

90daylimitedwarranty t1_ixhnmw3 wrote on November 23, 2022 at 2:55 PM

I don't use any apps either. I'm basically on reddit under a fake name. I have no real online presence of any kind.

BaaBaaTurtle t1_ixhockt wrote on November 23, 2022 at 3:00 PM

If you carry your phone in your pocket you have an online presence.

90daylimitedwarranty t1_ixhok4u wrote on November 23, 2022 at 3:01 PM

So somehow these tax software companies I don't use have wrecked my life because they sent my data to a social media presence I have nothing to do with because I have a phone in my pocket?

Um...okay.

BaaBaaTurtle t1_ixi88aq wrote on November 23, 2022 at 5:12 PM

I'm not saying the tax software is how your info is out there. I'm saying if you have a phone in your pocket, your info is out there. Geo fencing is a thing.

But it's even more basic than that. If you use a credit card, information is shared about your purchases with third party advertisers. The biggest compiler of your information, whether you're on the platform or not, is Meta. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/29/facebook-privacy-monopoly/)

If you use any of those membership cards at your grocery store, your purchases are shared with third party advertisers. If you browse on your phone, that's shared with third party advertisers.

Basically anytime you go somewhere or buy something or search something, that data is tracked.

And while your doctor can't share information about you, most software doctors offices use can share your data with third party advertisers (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/13/health-privacy/).

This is why the attitude of "well I don't use it so I'm okay" is so misguided. It's an illusion of control that you don't have. Even if you take precautions (don't use the apps, don't go on social media, use DuckDuckGo, browse with Tor) you're not actually preventing third parties from knowing your data. We would need our laws to fundamentally change to protect any of our privacy.