Episode 161 — Privacy and the Online Onslaught

Privacy - "freedom from unauthorized invasion," says Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, or "the quality or state of being apart from company or observation." The Detective did not authorize an online onslaught. But every day my computer and phone are bombarded with unsolicited ads and messages. My digital space is invaded by demands for my attention. I'm forced constantly to declutter. I try to swat away these pests, like waving arms at mosquitoes in a smarmy jungle. Advertising, promotions, social media I don't belong to clamoring to connect me with friends I've never met, strangers grasping to claim my time and money. And this happens without my request or consent. Were this torrent of messages a stream of phone calls, I'd claim rights under the Do Not Call list - or if it gets worse, turn off the phone. Were this a noxious stream of knocks on my door, I'd   post a No Trespassing sign out front or call the police. But what can an individual do to avoid the onslaught that the digital age has spawned? Consider how unwanted data has infected our world and invades our privacy. Ponder how digital ads and unwanted messages are more toxic than highway billboards or ads on TV or radio. Think about defenses to this increasing attack on our privacy and take action about what we can do, both as individuals and as a society. The first 155 episodes of Data Privacy Detective can be found on the feed of the Frost Brown Todd Podcast. You can listen on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3IrHUTg), Spotify (https://bit.ly/49XRU2k), or Soundcloud (https://bit.ly/3T8EWrw).