I want you to stop and contemplate something for a moment. Everything you do on a digital device is no longer private. Every message you've ever sent, every snapchat you've ever received, EVERY bit and byte of data processed has been passed through a 3rd party. Remember that age-old saying "Nothing is set in stone?" Well, in today's advancement of technology everyone's data is open to prying eyes. 

The last thing I want to do is scare you. In fact what I want to do is peak your interest enough so that as a user of technology you will understand some of the consequences of actions taken online. For instance, did you know snapchat images received by your phone are actually still stored once the message indicates they are no longer viewable? That "cute" pic you just sent your fwb? Yah, it's now digitally recorded on multiple locations and has been sent through so many third party viewers you would cringe at the mere thought of sending another. 

Stop and think about this: we as Americans have given up our privacy once we leave our front door. What many people do not realize is that our phones, our computers, our tablets are all front doors to the world. Many people, I feel, don't agree with this because they say privacy is a "right." We should be able to click a button on the internet and not be tracked. Well how is it any different than going through airport security and getting on a plane? We agree to the disclosure of our privacy to ensure the safety of others around us. It is this very fact as to why I can't bring weapons on a plane even if "I'm the good guy and I just want to arm myself for protection!" 

As an Information Technology major, many would assume I am pro-privacy. I am here to say I as a individual feel everything on the internet, minus national security, should be transparent. Every bit of data should be open for scrutiny on where it came from, who viewed it, and where it went. I would be glad to post ALL of my search history and downloads. You know why? Because I have NOTHING to hide. I as an individual understand how concrete something as intangible as 0's and 1's can actually be! 

Usually the response I get to this is people deserve the right to privacy...and well they do, just not in public sphere. I can argue the same fact with filming the public. Anything you do outside of your home I can record and this is generally accepted. Well, equate this to the internet. Once you leave your home network and connect to the world wide web you need to understand how easy it is for everyone to record what you do. 

For instance, say I want to simply navigate to Google. I type it in, and like magic, I'm brought to their search. Behind the scenes reveals just how many places my one click to Google went. Doing a simple trace route command, which is asking the computer to show me all "hops" or paths made to actually get to Google's server, one can see over 5 different "hops" until Google is actually reached. Each one of these "hops" has to transfer your click until your destination is reached. Each one of these "hops" has the ability to read and store whatever information you send. This is why it is so easy for those images you thought would never come back to actually come back and haunt you. 

Coming back to privacy being a right. I ask, what do you not want people to see? What are you doing online that you feel others shouldn't be able to know you are doing? If you have nothing to hide what do you need to worry about. If I told you everything you search is already being recorded would it make a difference? The fact is you have the right to privately think whatever you want but as soon as you voice these opinions you must face the consequences whether they are good or bad. So I leave you with two bits of advice.

1. Always hide your face. If you have to ask the question, "Would I want people to see ME doing this?", then your answer should be HIDE MY FACE.

2. Educate yourself on how technology works and don't forget tip #1.