Ask HN: Why is internet privacy so important?

3 pointsnagyadam20926y ago3 comments

I see that WebKit has a new tracking prevention policy, which made me think why it's so important for everyone to be protected from big ad companies who rely on 3rd party cookies for example. Why the huge hassle? I could get better targeted products for example, which is a good thing, but I have a feeling that this whole area is causing problems in a bigger picture, but can't identify what those are.

3 comments

tuyguntn6y ago

- tomorrow you can become billionaire and someone will share your history of porn movies to worsen your reputation.

- after purchasing some product in physical world, you might get lots of annoying ads afterwards

- you have small conflicts at home with your partner and suddenly when service which is tracking you hacked all your internal conflicts made public, which again might hurt your reputation

lost goes on and on

jolmg6y ago

- Businesses sell data on the purchasing history of their users. Other companies buy this data to cross reference and derive new, more useful information about people, for example to calculate their purchasing power. Online businesses buy this information to accurately determine how high they can set their price for individual customers.

new_guy6y ago

You're looking at this from an American perspective, which is great. You're relatively free to say what you like without consequences.

But now look at a place like China. You have to have an app installed on your phone that monitors everything, some families have spies actually living with them reporting on everything[0] (like a very low tech Alexa!)

If you say the wrong thing you and your family get rounded up and killed or sent off to organ harvesting.[1]

Now imagine having an Alexa in your home that listens and reports on everything you say and do, you criticise dear leader even in a passing comment and it's bye bye to you and your family.

THAT is why internet privacy is important. And maybe it doesn't affect you so you don't care, but what if people look through your comment history, see you as a potential dissident so take you out of the equation before you even know what's happening.

None of this is hyperbole, it's all happening right now. Check out EFF.org for more.

[0] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-uighurs-...

[1]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/17/china-is-harve...

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