1. Google Home / Alexa
Alexa. Who doesn't have one nowadays?
These smart speakers, if you think about it, are always listening. They are always listening for trigger words like "hey Google" or "Alexa". They never really turn 'off.' Even when you put them on mute how are you suppose to confirm that the smart device actually turns off its ears? You can't. These speakers are always listening.
I heard somewhere that in Europe, when people apply for new jobs, they can ask for a copy of all the social media records that come up when the company searches the applicant. This one applicant asked for a copy but accidentally received someone else's. What was on the record you may ask? The other person's transcript of a conversation between himself and his wife the smart speaker picked up.
2. iRobot Roomba - Robot Vacuums
Ah yes. What type of data can a vacuum pick up? Well, it does spend it's day gliding it's way around your home. It is connected to wifi.
These devices get to know your floor plan. It spends hours calculating the way around your home. Now, what could someone do with this information?
3. Ring - Video Doorbell
"Let's install a camera in our front house so it records us every time we walk into our home." Again, I don't say this to scare you, but I would like to illustrate the fact that these tech companies potentially know more about us than we may assume. The information they gather, won't usually be used negatively but rather positively to better improve their services.
4. Siri - iPhone
Siri, just like Alexa and Google home always has her ears open waiting to hear the words "hey Siri." Siri is always listening sometimes even when she's not supposed to.
5. iPhone - Location Services
If you think about it, many apps on your phone automatically has location services turned on. Why? Because more precise ads can be target to you based on your current location. For example, your in close proximity to a neighborhood Starbucks. Pick up your phone and open up social media, a Starbucks ad may just pop up to your screen.
6. Facebook (if you haven't already heard)
Facebook. Must I go on?
7. Target
Target is one of the first companies that really jumped on the "get to know your customer" bandwagon real quick. Many years ago, based on a customer's purchase pattern, Target was able to predict her pregnancy before the customer could even tell her family. How insane is that?
8. Amazon - Aka Jeff Bezos
Amazon is rapidly becoming a leading player in convenience shopping. I mean, who hasn't used Amazon Prime? Amazon not only has you set up an account, but it records the things you purchase and from there, they are able to remember the brands you like, the items you like to buy and the prices you agree to purchase.
9. Instagram - Tagged image location
Just like Snapchat, Instagram can find exactly where you are based on the location you match to your published photo.
It's crazy to think that this is the type of world we live in today where information about us is gathered left and right and most of the time without us realizing it.
If Social Media Was Our Physical Reality, I’d Have To Say No Thank You
What if we lived inside of an app and it became our entire life?
While yes, our world seems to revolve around social media, what if that was actually our world? What if we had to talk, post, and like, and it was our only way of interaction? Imagine being at your family Christmas party and the aunt that gossips about everyone had no choice but to post it in order to be able to gossip; I don't think she would be getting very many likes in this case. At the rate our society is going, we are becoming so dependent on checking all of our social media pages so that we can stay in the loop. I know I am also guilty of this but I try to be a little better about it so that I can pay attention to the life happening around me. If we lived inside one of our various social media apps, it would become a huge game of who can post better content.
Not only that, but we would practically be able to track peoples' every move because if we lived in a Snapchat world, then it would most likely have to constantly update every few minutes, then we would spend hours just watching people's stories. A plus side to this living situation is that secrets would no longer exist; they would not have the ability to survive since the only form of communication would be through posting for the whole world to see.
For me, social media tends to just depress me and make me sad. Many instances, I see people my age living their best life and I feel as though I am not living a fulfilling life. Sometimes, it makes me happy to watch old friends make new ones and see them so happy. If we did not have social media at all, our society would be very different, I don't know if I would say it would be better or worse because I have no idea. All I know is I most definitely would not want to live in a social media app and have everything constantly revolve around that, as well as take up my physical surroundings.