Recently I have listened to a couple of lectures on cyber security, and John was surprised that Alexa knew his name. We live in a deeply connected world. Our phones, computers, Google, Amazon, Apple, Blogger and Facebook know more about us than we know about ourselves. Some of this we have knowingly shared. Much of it is a mystery to us, how our devices know who we are. Alexa is tied to an Amazon account, and Amazon knows who the account holder is - she took a lucky guess that it was John and not a special Someone - though it wouldn't surprise me if Alexa was using voice recognition. One of the financial institutions I work with uses voice recognition as a secondary verification.
I had drafted a long and scary rant about data security - you can find that elsewhere.
I am surprised that Amazon sends me advertising featuring things I have never shopped for - like frilly ladies undies. Yes, they target ads, but the random ads for things I never look at are really a waste. We keep Alexa sequestered in the kitchen, I wonder why Amazon keeps suggesting cook books.
Facebook - the cesspool of society that so many of us are addicted to - really can't get the ads right. Putting pro he-who-must-not-be-named ads on my feed - what a waste of electrons. For a while I was clicking on them, it costs the advertiser more if you click on the ad, than if you just skip it. But my tolerance for brain poison is limited and I started blocking the ads.
The more I work at home, the less I turn my mobile phone on. I recently went five days without turning it on. I need it for multi-factor authentication to log into critical systems for work, if I don't need to do that, I don't always turn it on. Five days and the world didn't stop turning, no one died. Try it, you might be surprised.
What have you been thinking about?
I've been thinking about you, of course. I do so constantly. 😘
ReplyDeleteYou are so sweet! And sheep, you are probably thinking about sheep.
Deleteawww, sweet bear is SO good to you!
ReplyDeleteme - when is this fucking dumpster nightmare going to end?
Yes, I think a lot of us are thinking about that
DeleteSuch a timely post. I just watched the first of a two part show on PBS called "Hacking Your Mind". It was about how data about each of us is harvested and used by retailers. The scary part came when it started showing how political campaigns are using the data and how they are targeting people's weaknesses.
ReplyDeleteThe weaknesses ploy, worked in Michigan in the last election. More people left the office of President unmarked, than the margin between the two candidates.
DeleteOh, who are you trying to kid? -- frilly ladies undies -- Amazon knows every kink you have! lol
ReplyDeleteMaybe, that but that is not one of them,
DeleteI can't and won't with Amazon...their evil. lol
ReplyDeleteI feel the same was about WalMart
DeleteMostly I understand why I am targeted with certain advertising, but sometimes it is just plain scary and other times makes no sense at all. FB has never picked up that I am gay.
ReplyDeleteFB can be clueless
DeleteRight now I am thinking about letting the dog out again.
ReplyDelete