The BLOG: Voices
Your Internet Privacy Is About To Go Away – And You Want It To
Kyle S. Reyes | March 31, 2017
Courtesy of Flickr
It’s the trigger of the week — the headlines in the news that your Internet privacy is going away.
But you all need to just cool your jets.
Context: On Tuesday, Congress sent legislation to President Donald Trump that would kill some online privacy regs. That would eventually allow Internet providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T to sell the browsing habits of their customers.
Cue the world’s smallest violin playing the world’s saddest song.
Here’s the thing. You actually want companies to have lots and lots of data about you. You just don’t want to admit it.
You traded privacy for convenience years ago.
Ever take an Uber? We’re tracking you.
Ever purchase a gift for your loved one after seeing an ad on Facebook because your anniversary was coming up and you nearly forgot about it?
Ever clicked on an Amazon ad which just happened to have the T-shirt you were looking at in exactly your size?
You want us to target you. You want the convenience.
You go out of your way to avoid television, radio, and newspaper ads because they are so broad that they don’t apply to you … but you will watch a five-minute-long video on Yeti’s Facebook page when it ends up in your newsfeed because of your purchase history.
You’ll take advantage of Groupons and discounts served up to you after “checking in” on social media at a location.
But you say you want privacy.
You “check in” at the delivery room at the hospital and let the world know through social media that your cervix is seven centimeters dilated and that you won’t be home for four days.
Your cervix. Your unattended home. You just told everyone the most intimate and private information about you.
Yet you’re flipping out about “privacy.”
Please.
Less complaining. More buying stuff from my targeted ads online.
You want this, America. You’re just not ready to admit it.
Kyle S. Reyes is President and CEO of The Silent Partner Marketing. He’s also an acclaimed keynote speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing and social media. You can follow him on Facebook.
