The Internet, Privacy and Outer Space

[Bill Hart]

I am used to being tracked, monetized and treated like fodder for big data. Say I search for rubber sex dolls on the Internet. Next thing you know, I open a browser to read about developments in micro economies in East Africa, and I'm blitzed with ads and promotions for, you guessed it-- rubber maids in all shapes and sizes. I'm used to this. I accept this as part of the price you pay to surf the waves of electronic commerce.
So, I get an Ebay alert about what's trending. It is vintage Soviet era spacesuits. One is a full suit actually used for a spacewalk back in the day. Another is a full backpack of oxygen canisters and other stuff that obviously belongs on a spacesuit. Then, there's this nifty space helmet with drop down visor. All pretty cool stuff, and marked down from original prices- I think the spacesuit is a quarter mil. So, I'm wondering: do they think I belong in space? And, I also worry: what happens if I use this for space travel and it doesn't work properly?
Do others have these concerns?
signed:
Out in the Void

[mep]

I get what you are saying Bill. It's spooky how we are all being tracked from grocery stores, pharmacies, and the internet. If you don't have a card for your local grocery store or pharmacy so they can track everything you buy, you get punished with much higher prices. It's a little unnerving to get coupons in the mail from your local grocery store for money off of everything that you buy. Let's don't even discuss how we are being tracked from our cell phones...

[mep]

Oh, and let's not even get into how modern cars have recording devices that can rat you out if you are involved in a serious accident. Your speed is recorded and so is your braking. Cars equipped with Onstar have the capability of listening in on your private conversations while you are driving. There really isn't much privacy left in our world as we know it.

[kcin]

I am used to being tracked, monetized and treated like fodder for big data. Say I search for rubber sex dolls on the Internet. Next thing you know, I open a browser to read about developments in micro economies in East Africa, and I'm blitzed with ads and promotions for, you guessed it-- rubber maids in all shapes and sizes. I'm used to this. I accept this as part of the price you pay to surf the waves of electronic commerce.
So, I get an Ebay alert about what's trending. It is vintage Soviet era spacesuits. One is a full suit actually used for a spacewalk back in the day. Another is a full backpack of oxygen canisters and other stuff that obviously belongs on a spacesuit. Then, there's this nifty space helmet with drop down visor. All pretty cool stuff, and marked down from original prices- I think the spacesuit is a quarter mil. So, I'm wondering: do they think I belong in space? And, I also worry: what happens if I use this for space travel and it doesn't work properly?
Do others have these concerns?
signed:
Out in the Void

Ok, so now I don't feel so bad I thought my searches were weird... thanks!

[Rob]

There's something to be said for having a 'sterile' PC thats not connected to the outside world, keeping your cash in a mattress and only shopping at B&M stores.

[mep]

Anytime you are in a public place, you should count on the fact that you are under video surveillance. Which also galls me for another reason. Why oh why with all the cameras that Sams Club has and people monitoring them can't they catch people that are shoplifting?? From the time you drive into their parking lot until the time you leave the parking lot, you are under surveillance. And yet, they can't get a handle on the thieves. Recently my Sams Club had to take Silver Patron off the shelves and lock it up in a room in front of the store because they claimed it kept disappearing off the shelves. So now, you have to grab a coupon where it used to be, hand it to the cashier when you are checking out, they have to call a manager to come over and give them the coupon so they will fetch your Silver Patron. Then when the big wig manager comes back to you with the Silver Patron, the manager wants to look at your receipt to make sure you paid for it even though the cashier doesn't give them the coupon until after you paid for it, and then you have to stand in line so another Sams zombie checks your receipt and glances at your cart to make you think they are checking your purchases against your receipt.

[Bill Hart]

We were in Central Market the other day shopping- it's a high end food store without the BS of Whole Foods, pretty high quality produce, meats, fish, whatever. We were shopping for mushrooms and I noticed a bin full of morels, which were priced at $299.95/lb. I said to a nearby store clerk- what's up with that- you guys don't lock that up or put it behind a counter, when in most stores, even stuff like common batteries are under lock and key. He gave me this look like: "hey, if you wanted to steal a pile of morels, and put those things in your pocket, knock yourself out." Then he smiled and said he was from Philly and knew what I meant.

[Jtycho]

HA. I work in a public market in Philly. Every time I see someone leave their bag and walk away I just know they're a tourist. Makes me think i may be living in the wrong place!

[MylesBAstor]

What burns me up are companies like Uber that data mine their app and sell the information.

[Bill Hart]

I think their tracking of your location remains "on" even when you aren't summoning a ride. They have some explanation for this, but it doesn't make sense. Most of the apps on the iPhone purport to provide location info only when in use. Then again, is my Samsung TV watching me?

[mep]

Your Samsung TV is listening to you Bill.

[MylesBAstor]

The s now even counting what hackers can do such as watching you through your TV set or computer. Everything in life always seems to get subverted. Just look at the promise of nuclear energy when it was being developed and what happened.

[Rob]

just look at the promise of digital "perfect sound forever" LOL

[Bill Hart]

The s now even counting what hackers can do such as watching you through your TV set or computer. Everything in life always seems to get subverted. Just look at the promise of nuclear energy when it was being developed and what happened.

There was a great book called Bad, or The Dumbing of America by Paul Fussell published in 1991. He caught the trend before it became an epidemic: big companies that provide zero help to customers, leaving you rotting on a "customer service" line, only to be handled by a know-nothing "customer advocate" who reads from a script and cannot answer a direct question; price hikes for no apparent reason other than more profit; crap quality control, etc. The companies are insulated because short of a class action lawsuit (not as easy to get certified these days) or government investigation, they have absolutely no motive to change their ways. Most of the time, if a company gets caught out, they bring in the spinmeisters to marginalize the problem, blame it on the customer and move on. (We've seen a few prosecutions and government agency investigations in the most egregious cases, but even then, I think those companies just didn't have the political juice to remain insulated). Fussell's book may be a little dated now, because his examples, which included airports, have changed post 9/11 but his observation at the time-- the deeper you go into an airport the fewer amenities you get, like bathrooms and food was true at the time. Now airports realize they can monetize the concessions so you see expensive steak houses, lot's of bars and other stuff, all overpriced, but hey, they got you as a captive audience, right? No comment by me on the TSA or the monetization of health care.
PS: I also realize that the consumer is a cause as well. If you want cheap goods, you can have them. From companies that don't really build anything but contract out the manufacturing. So, why complain when your $400 flat screen TV flames out? I bought a box of GE bulbs based on the brand name. Each blew out within a few days of installation. I did some research. These were made in Hungary (which I assume could make a decent lightbulb) but when I talked to GE, they could provide no information. It also turns out that GE has shut down their bulb division. It was at one time a good company that sought to preserve customer good will. Now, it seems that the quarterly profit is the main thing-- pleasing Wall St. and the customers can go to hell. (My wife's family was a GE family too- her Dad worked there, as did her aunt and other family members, all in upstate NY. There was pride in working for the company). I wonder how many people feel that way now, working for big faceless corporate enterprises.

[MylesBAstor]

There was a great book called Bad, or The Dumbing of America by Paul Fussell published in 1991. He caught the trend before it became an epidemic: big companies that provide zero help to customers, leaving you rotting on a "customer service" line, only to be handled by a know-nothing "customer advocate" who reads from a script and cannot answer a direct question; price hikes for no apparent reason other than more profit; crap quality control, etc. The companies are insulated because short of a class action lawsuit (not as easy to get certified these days) or government investigation, they have absolutely no motive to change their ways. Most of the time, if a company gets caught out, they bring in the spinmeisters to marginalize the problem, blame it on the customer and move on. (We've seen a few prosecutions and government agency investigations in the most egregious cases, but even then, I think those companies just didn't have the political juice to remain insulated). Fussell's book may be a little dated now, because his examples, which included airports, have changed post 9/11 but his observation at the time-- the deeper you go into an airport the fewer amenities you get, like bathrooms and food was true at the time. Now airports now realize they can monetize the concessions so you see expensive steak houses, lot's of bars and other stuff, all overpriced, but hey, they got you as a captive audience, right? No comment by me on the TSA or the monetization of health care.
PS: I also realize that the consumer is a cause as well. If you want cheap goods, you can have them. From companies that don't really build anything but contract out the manufacturing. So, why complain when your $400 flat screen TV flames out? I bought a box of GE bulbs based on the brand name. Each blew out within a few days of installation. I did some research. These were made in Hungary (which I assume could make a decent lightbulb) but when I talked to GE, they could provide no information. It also turns out that GE has shut down their bulb division. It was at one time a good company that sought to preserve customer good will. Now, it seems that the quarterly profit is the main thing-- pleasing Wall St. and the customers can go to hell. (My wife's family was a GE family too- her Dad worked there, as did her aunt and other family members, all in upstate NY. There was pride in working for the company). I wonder how many people feel that way now, working for big faceless corporate enterprises.

Did you ever see this hysterical movie starring Albert Brooks?

Albert Brooks moves to Pakistan and sets up an office in Karachi (?). Every day he passes this phone bank on the way to work. One morning it's one American company. Next day, another American company. Third day Brooks passes the phone bank and overhears one of the operators answering the call, "Hello, White House."

[Bill Hart]

Did you ever see this hysterical movie starring Albert Brooks?

Albert Brooks moves to Pakistan and sets up an office in Karachi (?). Every day he passes this phone bank on the way to work. One morning it's one American company. Next day, another American company. Third day Brooks passes the phone bank and overhears one of the operators answering the call, "Hello, White House."

Nope, I remember Albert Brooks from something else that he wrote and performed, not sure what it is, will have to look it up.

[MylesBAstor]

Yes the answer to the question is hysterical.

[Alrainbow]

The old term used was big brother is watching , how so untrue that comment is today. It's really big business is watching us. As I try to maintain three small data setups with each move I make they makes many others. To pick what virus pry edition alone is a maze of opinions . While most do well for actual viruses few help aggressive mail ware . And keep this in mind anyone who uses any virus protection or malware has those programs total access to all of your files in your systems . How any virus or mail ware should work is outside of our systems like a filter before it. I had some of those years ago , Symantec had one. They drive you crazy with access. I use log me in A very good program that allows remote access so I can fix things remotely
So they too have complete access lol. And it must be running on any computer I need access. Now I can shut it down and ask personnel to turn it on but the point remains we are so tracked a,d infested with overreach I cannot see how anyone has real privacy anymore. Using the built in junk mail filters helps most but it does not help the smart ones. My wife clicks ona message from Amazon or eBay and has mail ware shutting down her setup. Then I need from 500 miles way to use log me in to remove it . If I knew of one program to buy that cost even 500 a year that I could use on many setups I would buy it. The fact is there is no program some do much better than others it's about certain features.
Msn gives mcakaffy for free funny it never sees that Amazon mail ware , nor does mail byte or windows defender . Yet I can easily remove it with a reboot as it resides in the history on edge only. It is how they go around the protection . I simply delete the history from.control panel . Even while surfing some websites of certain types of videos hahahahaha. It locks up my iPads , again annoying but a simp,e fix. I think that this whole infection is big business for everyone envolved except us end users. Going on Facebook on your desktop setup can be a real issue , if what looks like Facebook is picked from a search , my wife has done this at times. So I setup a link remotely for her . Fake news lol had to say that is small compared to fake website. We all have got emails from banks and other important websites like PayPal . Never reply to them Right . But how do they know what they send you . How many of us have gotten an alert someone is signing onto you iCloud account from an odd location . We are completely surrounded by hostile bots. There are programs ypu can load in your setup that will show us who is right there with us as soon as we go to a website. Now use programs to make yourself private and quickly learn ypu cannot go there. How can it be we cannot go on eBay without having some 20 other tracking sites see us. Apple whom I hate for being a nazi like program does have there points as it keeps many away.
Great topic and I hope I added something to it.

[cpp]

The internet ain't it just great.

[Kingrex]

Seattle wants to put GPS tracking modules in all our cars so they can at will tax us as they see fit. Do you see the invasion of privacy in this. Not just a toll to drive, but a way to track your every move.

[Bill Hart]

The old term used was big brother is watching , how so untrue that comment is today. It's really big business is watching us. As I try to maintain three small data setups with each move I make they makes many others. To pick what virus pry edition alone is a maze of opinions . While most do well for actual viruses few help aggressive mail ware . And keep this in mind anyone who uses any virus protection or malware has those programs total access to all of your files in your systems . How any virus or mail ware should work is outside of our systems like a filter before it. I had some of those years ago , Symantec had one. They drive you crazy with access. I use log me in A very good program that allows remote access so I can fix things remotely
So they too have complete access lol. And it must be running on any computer I need access. Now I can shut it down and ask personnel to turn it on but the point remains we are so tracked a,d infested with overreach I cannot see how anyone has real privacy anymore. Using the built in junk mail filters helps most but it does not help the smart ones. My wife clicks ona message from Amazon or eBay and has mail ware shutting down her setup. Then I need from 500 miles way to use log me in to remove it . If I knew of one program to buy that cost even 500 a year that I could use on many setups I would buy it. The fact is there is no program some do much better than others it's about certain features.
Msn gives mcakaffy for free funny it never sees that Amazon mail ware , nor does mail byte or windows defender . Yet I can easily remove it with a reboot as it resides in the history on edge only. It is how they go around the protection . I simply delete the history from.control panel . Even while surfing some websites of certain types of videos hahahahaha. It locks up my iPads , again annoying but a simp,e fix. I think that this whole infection is big business for everyone envolved except us end users. Going on Facebook on your desktop setup can be a real issue , if what looks like Facebook is picked from a search , my wife has done this at times. So I setup a link remotely for her . Fake news lol had to say that is small compared to fake website. We all have got emails from banks and other important websites like PayPal . Never reply to them Right . But how do they know what they send you . How many of us have gotten an alert someone is signing onto you iCloud account from an odd location . We are completely surrounded by hostile bots. There are programs ypu can load in your setup that will show us who is right there with us as soon as we go to a website. Now use programs to make yourself private and quickly learn ypu cannot go there. How can it be we cannot go on eBay without having some 20 other tracking sites see us. Apple whom I hate for being a nazi like program does have there points as it keeps many away.
Great topic and I hope I added something to it.

But the ties between Big Data and the Government are no secret either. So, these companies basically get favorable treatment (no anti-trust or privacy issues) and they work with the government. In fact, some of them were initially funded by one of the government acronyms, aka as 'the Company." Not to get political, but I used to accept the idea that our government was involved in all sorts of intrigue abroad to "make the world safe for democracy." In reality, it was making a country safe for American companies to do business. The business and the government work hand in glove here and abroad.

[Alrainbow]

I do beleave your correct we are watched and at this point watched by many many spices bit private , companies and of course our government and by private I mean hackers.
While I feel it needs to stop we have little to do anything about. Look at termimits who the hell aloowed this lol.
Our elected clowns are all in bed with this and many other facets of selling us to whom ever pays them. Why are a refried been of sorts. Not to be political but I voted for trump to partially destroy some government dynasties the jury is out on that so far. But he sures drives both sides and the media crazy. The greatest show on earth on steroids hahahahha.