Before we go on, I just want to make one thing clear. Nothing you post on the internet is truly private even with privacy settings locked and loaded. We know the internet is not fully safe, but little did we truly now about the extent our data could reach.
If you have not heard about the Facebook data breach, here is the scoop. The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal involved identifiable information of over 87 million Facebook users that Cambridge Analytica started collecting in 2014. Their claim was the data was used to influence voter opinion to help politicians who hired them. Facebook has stated that this practice is unacceptable, but many people, myself included, are concerned about their online privacy and where their data is going and how it is used if it is being used.
What we did get, however, was a pretty concerning testimony, and it wasn't even Zuckerberg I was most concerned about. Listen to some of the questions in the above video. The more concerning thing is how much our leaders are lacking in even the most basic of IT information and tech-related concerns and policies going into the questioning.
However, we did get a lot of great memes out of it, so it isn't as painful.
On a serious note, this is concerning because all of our information, in some shape or form, is on the internet. The fact that we have leaders who barely know much about privacy laws or concerns or even the basics of the internet and technology is something that raises many concerns. Cybersecurity is a field which is growing. Without our information being secure and without secure internet in general when transferring our data, this is a failure to implement technology and ensure that our country is safe. Basically, it is not okay for our information to be shared without our consent and there is much to be done regarding privacy law to ensure that our online safety is taken seriously and that our information is protected as much as possible.
The fact that there is seemingly little to no knowledge or technological awareness in our leadership, at least in the case of Mark Zuckerberg's testimony this week, is alarming and a threat to our personal and national security.
If you want to know if your information if your information was shared with Cambridge Analytica, Facebook has a page that will automatically tell you if it was or not . Stay safe online, friends!
