I freely admit that I may be overly concerned with the intrusion of my personal data by companies or government, but I also wonder what would happen if the PC Police eventually took over the government. Just because I am paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get me. As further evidence of my possible paranoia, I fully understand that this post may get me on some "NO ____" list, but I offer it merely as food for thought. I am not advocating any action that is not consistent with the law.
   Fill in the ??? as you wish.

Data Mining – You are the product

   Data doesn’t lie: how top brands use data to spot trends, read minds, and improve products

   Now that Facebook has been brought into the limelight with their use of user data, I was not too surprised when Twitter sent me this email note advertising how using data is important to companies.

   The Brandwatch Analytics and Vizia platforms collect and analyze millions of conversations each day from all over the public web — sites like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and YouTube, plus thousands of forums, blogs, and news sites. These tools allow brands and agencies to see not only who these people are and what they’re talking about, but also how engaged they are with a brand and how that sentiment changes over time. Forward-thinking organizations can use this data to pinpoint new markets, identify key pain points, reduce consumer friction, and improve product design

Twitter Marketing Department

   I don't think this is a big secret but perhaps some people who use Social Media are just now realizing how everything they say or do on Facebook, Google or Twitter is captured by and used to target them with advertising.  That is part of the Privacy Policy that we never read.  

If you often wonder how social media is able to

 offer you all their services as FREE, 

remember if it is free then their

product is

YOU​

​

   I used to agree with that statement, but what does concern me now is that it seems that any agency or bureaucrat can change the definition of 'WRONG.' Armed with all that information the government could not predict the Florida shooter or the Texas bomber. The big difference is that with Facebook , Twitter or Google I can choose not to participate by not using those platforms. I can't do that with the government surveillance. If you follow the allegory of Adam and Eve or Cain and Able it quickly becomes evident that once humans discovered “Free Will” predicting behavior is most difficult. Increasingly we seem to be using personal information to punish those we disagree with.

If you often wonder why your government

is gathering information on everybody,

you don't have to be too paranoid to realize

the target is

YOU​

​