Hot take: People keep saying 'I have nothing to hide' about their data, and it misses the point completely.

I was reading an article about a data broker in Omaha selling location data, and it clicked. The issue isn't about hiding bad stuff, it's about who gets to profit from and control the patterns of your life. That broker sold data showing where groups of phones went, which is basically a map of people's private routines. Saying 'I have nothing to hide' gives companies permission to treat your daily habits as a product they own. What's a better way to explain this to people who use that phrase?

3 comments

3 Comments

terry8356d ago

Man, that reminds me of my neighbor who got super into those store loyalty cards. He saved like two bucks on cereal, but then started getting mailers about baby stuff right after his wife's first doctor visit. He never told the store anything, they just knew from his buying patterns. It's not about hiding, it's about them building a story you didn't agree to tell. Your whole life becomes a puzzle they sell pieces of.

the_olivia6d ago

That puzzle line hits hard. My friend got ads for divorce lawyers right after she started buying single serve meals and extra wine. They don't just sell the pieces, they guess the picture before you even see it.

emeryj666d ago

Exactly! It's like they're writing a book about your life and selling the chapters without your name on the cover. My own credit card company sent me a "helpful" spending report that basically outlined my whole weekly routine, gym, grocery store, the works. Framing it as "hiding" things totally lets them off the hook for taking your normal day and turning it into their money.