I’d like to think that my actions usually speak louder than my words.

I’d like to think that whatever a person wanted to know about me could be easily accessible by actually asking me. No gimmicks, no games, no mind tricks, just honest words between me and the curious other. My intentions are, for the most part, pure and when I want things, I ask for them upfront. So, when I heard Daniel Zwerdling’s report on leaving your Digital Footprint on NPR’s segment of “All Tech Considered”, I felt that a mountain was just created from a mole hill.

I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m 100% done with listening to arrogant hipsters with a Sociology degree tell me that the technology I use is just another way for the government to control me (Jokes on you, I’m actually into that stuff. *Cough* BDSM Joke *Cough*). While I do agree with Zwerdling on some level, I’ve turned my nose in disgust to the overall claim that the information collected on us is going to bite us in the butt one way or another. This instance only happens when there is need for authorities to get involved, like in a case of evidence. Other than that, I doubt that the government is going to take me down with the snapshots of my crusty feet I took last week.

I’m not on social media as much as I’d like to, so I like to think that I don’t leave too much of a digital footprint. The only few things I am religiously on is Tumblr, Facebook, and my email. The other sites that I seem to stumble onto are just results from me clicking links on the previously mentioned sites. So, if I were to guess the size of my digital footprint, it would probably be similar to that of an adolescent elephant.

Yet, Zwerdling claims how easy it is can be to obtain and use this information on the Web article. Honestly, I’m hoping it is. With so many options available to us on the internet, sometimes I don’t know where to start. When marketing companies and search engines see and use this information, they use it to give you the things you need-whether you knew you needed them or not. And for a weeaboo*, like myself, this type of information can be used to push me in the direction where my trashy interests and antics can be fully appreciated because, like most of us, we don’t have all day to search useful and useless sites for the things we need. That’s what Google ads are for.

“But I still don’t like the fact that they’re doing this!”

“It’s an invasion of my privacy!”

“The marketing companies are using us as puppets for their sales!”

“I don’t want this!” (Fine, you crybabies!)

While there is a lot of power from obtaining information from everyday people, there are ways to stop it. Anti-virus systems are installed to keep from dangerous intruders from getting in. If you want hardcore, there is this installment called Ad Block that keeps most companies from seeing your information and giving you theirs.

When it comes to the men in blue and the feds, you’ll have to face the fact that there are some things that need to happen. The fact that lawyers, police, and other government officials can use your information in the court of law when needed is there to protect you. If you have done nothing wrong, like deeds worthy of the guillotine, then you will be fine. (If you have, remember not to drop the soap.)

Having your dirty laundry out in the air sucks, I get it. With some of the things I’ve looked up online and the conversations I’ve had, I would have to go into hiding. I wish the government would use this technology and their skills to catch hackers with horrible intentions, but that’s for another day. However, that’s the thing, those who use this information for sales and law aren’t putting our privacy out there for the world to see. So, for now, the worst we have to worry about are annoying ads popping up on our Facebook feeds.

Sorry, Zwerdling, but I think we’ll live.

Here is the link to the article/radio set.