Technology and Privacy: The High Cost of Living in a Connected World

Have you ever stopped to question how your social feed suddenly suggests recommendations after a casual chat with family, even before you searched online? Or how search engines start recommending tourist destinations just because you checked flight prices? This isn’t coincidence – it’s the unsettling reality of how technology interacts with our lives, often at the expense of our privacy.

Data privacy, once a theoretical concern, has now become a pressing issue in our hyperconnected world. In this article, we unravel the complex relationship between technology and privacy, exposing how technology invades our private space, while guiding you towards the most profitable and unshakeable security collaboration that surpasses all vulnerabilities of the digital age.

Highlights on Technology and Privacy

• The biggest technological threat to the world today is data privacy.

• Meta was slapped the highest fine for breach of data privacy as of April 2024, according to Statista.

Image Title: Survey by Statista done in 2024, revealing the attitude of user towards privacy of their data

Image Credit and Source:  Statista

• In yet another survey conducted worldwide by Statista, 50% and above participants from various countries believed ‘it was impossible to protect their privacy online’.

Image Title: ‘Internet users who believe its impossible to protect their privacy online 2023’

Image Credit and Source: Statista

• Is technology truly our saviour in modern times? Read on to explore.

What is Information Privacy?

Information privacy or ‘data privacy’ stands for an individual being in complete control of their personal data. This also includes being in charge of how other entities use, store or collect their data. The following principles constitute data privacy:

• Access: Individuals possess the right to know how much of their data organisations hold. They should also have the access to modify the data as per their requirements.
• Transparency: Individuals must be aware of all entities that hold their data and what they intend to use it for.
• Consent: User consent is non-negotiable for organisations to be able to use the data they collect. Additionally, users should also have a facility where they can raise objections to use or the way of dealing with their data.
• Quality: Companies must strive to maintain data accuracy, lest they risk privacy violations. For instance, if the address of a client is not updated in the company backend data system, it could lead to sensitive documents being delivered at the wrong address and to the wrong person.
• Management: A company should be able to define and justify why it collects a certain pool of data. This needs to be communicated clearly to users beforehand. 
• Privacy by design: Privacy should be a non-negotiable protocol for every business organisation, ensuring it is tackled as a key concern.
• Security: Ensuring security of the data collected should be the responsibility of every company.

Data is collected by organisations from multiple sources like emails, biometrics, credit card details, to name a few. How these organisations uphold user data privacy also plays an important role in the implications faced by users. Government regulations too have a bearing on organisations ensuring legal obligations. Despite this, data privacy remains an overriding concern.

Data Privacy versus Data Security

Data privacy is about the rights of an individual, whereas data security is about protecting these rights and prevents misuse. Data privacy requires the involvement of various verticals like cybersecurity, compliance, IT and even legal, within an organisation to create management policies dictating the use, collection, storage and protection of client personal data.

Technology and Privacy: A Double-Edged Sword?

Modern civilisation has evolved as highly technology-dependent, with technology transforming every aspect of communication and way of life. Though ‘consent’ is a core principle of data privacy, ironically, there are fewer websites today that one can navigate without accepting the ‘Privacy Policy Popup’ that clearly states your data will be shared with a third party and you have no choice but to accept it. This troubling paradox outweighs the veneer of convenience technology provides us.

Image Title: Privacy Policy Popup

Image Source: Stack Overflow

Data protection and privacy have, today, evolved as one of the most important fundamental human rights, as they underscore freedom of speech. With the advent of the Dark Web, increased hackers and unethical data leaks, navigating the net today comes with its own set of challenges and fears. Recognising this as a modern-age concern, several countries have put some data protection laws in place. The question actually is how efficient and abiding are the laws? If laws cannot protect us then what can?

Technology and Privacy: The Cost of Progress

We believe technology is responsible for our monumental progress. A few instances:

• It has revolutionised healthcare with life-saving devices, made education accessible across the globe, and connected people in many ways once unimaginable.
• Smartphones, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing have brought the world closer and democratised information.
• Take the rise of big data, for example. It allows businesses to custom-recommend their products and services to clients, providing a more personal, targeted experience. 
• Governments use technology to plan better cities, combat pandemics and even predict natural disasters now. 

Though these advancements have created opportunities that previous generations could only dream of, the same tools that improve lives can also be weaponised against us. Let’s understand a few cases.

AI Technology and Privacy Concerns 

Artificial Intelligence no longer remains just a technology today. It has become a way of life with virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant being looked up to as real-life assistants also doubling up as go-to advisors. The biggest downside of AI is the security concerns around personal data of users. 

■ Also Read: The Fintech Revolution: The Rise Of AI & Blockchain Technology Trends

Users risk breach of their personal information such as financial details, addresses and sensitive information like personal documents as AI relies on all data it collects to train various modules. With the increase in integration of AI technology today, a proliferation in data breach cases have been observed, leading to a rise in cybercrimes like ransomware attacks.

Some cases to consider:

Social Media

• Social media platforms collect, process and share gigantic data, often putting the users in no position to choose the other way. 
• A user’s likes, dislikes, comments, age, gender, location, contacts, etc. are just some of the data collected.
• A recent example: Meta announced this year that from 26th June 2024 onwards, it will use personal data of users to train its AI model. The personal data also includes user photos, inviting criticism from users and lawsuits challenging the legitimacy of this clause. 
• Though Meta does provide users the option to object and opt-out, but solely at its discretion. Moreover, users need to detail even ‘personal reasons’ if they choose this as the reason for opt-out.
• A notable point here is that users from India have not even been given the option to opt-out, also revealing a discriminatory facet of off-shore companies.

Tracking Cameras

• Car tracking cameras have been installed today on most highways and streets. These are AI-enabled and capture complete data of the car, aside from just the car number. The shared problem with all AI applications is privacy risk and no information of what is done with the data collected.

Smartphones

• Fingerprint login: There is no conclusive information about the privacy of all fingerprints collected, and what exactly is being done with that data. Smartphone users are always at risk of their fingerprints being misused. Gone are the days when one could use tape to safeguard their complete fingerprint as the current fingerprint readers are way to advance and can bypass these techniques easily.
• Face recognition: The situation of face recognition data is similar to that of the fingerprint data. There is no definitive commitment from companies stating how they use this data.

Wearables

• Wearables like smartwatch and fitness bands also capture personal data to train their AI model. This booming tech industry segment has become the collection source for data that’s indicative of patterns, trends and behaviour, fuelling big data in a significant manner.

In addition to these devices and platforms, AI-based chatbots have also surfaced as big risk factors for sensitive data. Tech giant Samsung conducted a tough crack down on employees against the use of Chat-GPT after some employees accidentally shared sensitive data with the OpenAI chatbot. Online retail giant Amazon also issued similar restrictions to employees, and so did JPMorgan Chase and several American banks.

The privacy risk driven by AI is so severe that a simple unwitting move by employees put a massive tech company like Samsung into panic mode.

Big Data and Data Privacy Issues 

Big data is massive data collected as data sets varying in themes. Data can be collected from anything and everything like sensors, gadgets, smartphones, social media, websites, call logs, electronic check-ins, and the list is endless.

The business development segment prefers big data today because of the volume of insights it can gain about consumers. However, such a massive volume of data is incessantly susceptible to privacy risk. More so, as most big data open source tools are not built with security as a prime focus. This failure results in privacy breaches.

The biggest threat to big data privacy are cybercriminals. Though fraud detection technologies are typically deployed for endpoint protection, the chances of endpoint vulnerabilities still exist where a hacker can hack the endpoint device and modify the data easily. Another emerging privacy threat to big data tools is employees compromising the data.

The Dark Web: A Scary Reality 

The dark web epitomises the duality of technology. For some, it’s a sanctuary of anonymity, offering protection in oppressive regimes or enabling whistle-blowers to expose corruption. For others, it’s a hub for illegal activities – drug trafficking, human smuggling and cybercrime.  

This hidden corner of the internet shows how technology can simultaneously serve as a tool for freedom and a breeding ground for exploitation. It’s a reminder that technological tools are not the complete solutions we look for and their impact depends on how they are used.

The Price of Data Privacy

In this digital age, privacy cannot be taken for granted. Every action, every click leaves behind a trail of data. Companies and governments alike are mining this information, often without explicit consent. While some argue this data collection is necessary for improving services, the reality is far more sinister.  

One of the most infamous cases of privacy violation was the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The company harvested data from millions of Facebook users to manipulate voter behaviour during political campaigns. This not only shook public trust in social media but also highlighted how easily personal data can be weaponised for profit or political gain.  

The danger lies in how deeply data collection infiltrates our lives. As we have read in this article so far, from health apps tracking our steps to smart speakers listening to our conversations, every aspect of daily life is being recorded, analysed and often sold. There is no difference left between convenience and surveillance in today’s world.

Overreliance on Technology: A Slippery Slope

Our increasing dependence on technology has created an illusion of reliability. We trust apps to navigate us, algorithms to suggest what we should buy, and AI to make decisions on everything from hiring to healthcare. But what happens if our trust is grossly misplaced?  

• For instance, in a 2020 case, a man in Detroit was wrongfully arrested after a facial recognition system incorrectly identified him as a suspect. Similar cases of misidentification have been observed in various parts of the world. Such cases highlight the risks of over relying on technology without questioning its accuracy or ethical implications. When algorithms fail, they do so spectacularly – and the consequences often fall on ordinary people.  

• The healthcare sector offers another cautionary tale. Advanced diagnostic tools powered by AI have improved patient care, but they’ve also led to overconfidence in machines. Doctors sometimes defer to algorithms even when their instincts tell them otherwise, which can result in misdiagnoses. Technology and human expertise must  comply with each other; technology should not be meant to replace human involvement.

• Another example is the use of ATS softwares to scan through jobs resumes and applications. Several ideal candidates get overlooked not on the basis of their abilities, but because their ATS score was low. As a result, applicants have started manipulating their resumes to get through to a higher ATS score to secure a job. Is technology truly aiding progress, or are we winding downwards on morality?

• In education, for instance, AI-powered tools like virtual tutors and automated grading systems are becoming commonplace. While these innovations enhance learning, they also risk making students overly dependent on machines. Instead of fostering critical thinking, they may inadvertently encourage rote learning and laziness.  

• The same is true in governance. Many countries are deploying AI for predictive policing, hoping to pre-empt crimes before they occur. But such systems are far from perfect and often reinforce biases. When governments lean too heavily on technology, they risk undermining justice and accountability.  

Technology and Privacy: Unrealistic Expectations 

We expect too much from technology. We want it to solve problems instantly, forgetting it is created by humans and therefore prone to error. Yet, amidst this relentless pursuit of technological perfection, we overlook the one source of true infallibility – the unparalleled spiritual wisdom imparted by the Supreme Creator.  

Now, before you dismiss this as another spiritual discourse, pause for a moment. Read on and discover why every challenge, every flaw and every shortcoming in our lives is intricately tied to the absence of authentic spiritual understanding. You will find that the answers we seek from machines and algorithms have always been rooted in a higher truth – one we’ve ignored for far too long.

Take a moment to step back and reflect. The more we integrate technology into our lives, the more we invite risks into our existence. We adopt technology to save time, cut costs, streamline tasks and boost efficiency. But for what ultimate purpose? To earn more, accumulate more, and build a life wrapped in material excess. Yet, in this relentless pursuit, we’ve unknowingly plunged ourselves into a suffocating swamp – a swamp of risks, frustration, and the constant fear of things falling apart.  

This swamp keeps us teetering on the edge, robbing us of peace and clarity. Is this fragile, anxiety-driven existence truly worth the price we’re paying?  

The bigger revelation here is that in our obsession with technology and the endless battle for privacy, we’ve lost sight of life’s true purpose. The circus of innovation distracts us from what truly matters, and the cost of this distraction is far greater than we can ever discern.

Why Technology Can Never Save Us

Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj reminds us about the forgotten mission of human life. This rare and precious human birth, attained after traversing through 84 lakh cycles of life and death, is not meant for trivial pursuits. Its sole purpose is to achieve complete salvation and liberation from the relentless cycle of birth and rebirth.

The true worship of our Creator, the Supreme God Kabir, offers not only unparalleled spiritual fulfilment but also material rewards as a natural and effortless outcome of sincere devotion. In God Kabir’s divine protection, life becomes free of fear, burden and uncertainty. It is, without doubt, the most rewarding endeavour to embrace the authentic worship of God Kabir, secure His impenetrable grace, and accomplish both the spiritual and material goals of life with ease and purpose.

Technology is not the saviour we’ve been led to believe – it can neither protect nor liberate us. The True Saviour is Supreme God Kabir, whose divine worship is being imparted by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj, the sole True Saint in this era. Under His guidance, countless lives have been transformed, as devotees follow the unparalleled spiritual practices He prescribes.  

It is imperative to ask yourself this: what is the wiser choice? To embrace the most powerful form of worship that guarantees divine protection and fulfilment in every aspect of life? Or to chase fleeting, trivial pursuits like technology, data and material distractions, only to squander this rare and precious human life? The answer is clear. True profit lies in aligning with the Eternal, not the ephemeral.

Learn more about Sant Rampal Ji’s transformative spiritual teachings on:

• Website: www.jagatgururampalji.org
• YouTube: Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj
• Facebook: Spiritual Leader Saint Rampal Ji
• Twitter: @SaintRampalJiM

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