A lot of people have become numb to the constant tracking of personal data in almost every area of daily life. It’s considered an inevitability, an unavoidable annoyance that is too complicated and bothersome to care about in the midst of a busy workday. What people are doing, already did, might do, thought about doing; what they eat, drink, love and hate; their age, health, buying preferences, religious preferences, ailments and contact details are all omnipresent online. Information is the flywheel that powers most of the internet. And very few know exactly where that data goes or who has it.
Someone’s online identity, which is arguably a large part of their overall identity, is continuously growing as data is gathered, cross referenced and matched with other data. The end result may be a close approximation of who people really are, or it may be way off the mark. Regardless, it is out there representing individuals online, whether they like it or not. And there lies the risk.