Marlyn Rodriguez |Managing Editor|
This summer I enrolled in a digital communications class where we are not only learning about all the opportunities presented to us with the rise of the internet and other technological advances, but also about everything that is taking place behind the scenes.
Did you know that the internet has gained the capacity to watch our behaviors, capture our interests, and tailor everything from search results on a main stream search engine to the ads that we see on our page?
Its true. For every search or click we do on the web there are dozens of sites that narrow in and keep track of what were doing.
Some might feel that it is an invasion of privacy while others realize that the internet is watching EVERY single person and that one person out of the millions probably isn’t standing out as much.
It may all be a harmless method of advertising.
Instead of spending money on billboards and sending out ads through mail, companies have found it easier to learn what peoples’ interests are and send their advertisements in the direction that will benefit them the most.
There’s no harm in that..right?
I guess it depends on every one’s personal opinion and how they feel about being among the millions of other people that are being watched all around the world.
However, we don’t know that seeking marketing information is all they are doing.
If they can look into our lives just to see what our likes and dislikes are, what will stop them from looking into our lives even further?
If you don’t believe me check out the lightbeam add-on in your browser and you will get an idea of the extent to which you are being tracked.
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