You will Never Walk Alone

So I got to thinking about privacy recently when I requisitioned some security cctv tapes. Most of us have seen the research on the number of times we are recorded on cctv cameras in a day but have you considered that your calls to a call centre are often recorded and that banks have access to your spending pattern while telco's know who you are calling and both of the latter can then place you physically in a particular location. My vehicle is tracked via satellite for security reasons and my ID card places me at the scene whenever I enter the bank or university. My log in IP address tells you which pc I'm using and the cookie on my PC tells you about my habits. The RAS connection can locate the physical access point and which ISP I used and even the port that I came thru. My employer can tell what I do on-line, which sites I frequent, what applications I use, where I've stored my information, how often I take my laptop home and even how many emails I send and receive. They can even determine the amount of times I clicked my mouse and what I'm working on!

So now retailers will be adding RFID tags too many grocery items and you know this means that I can check out quicker and that the retailer has more real time updates in stock movements. But it also means that strangers can know what I buy and when I consume them just by scanning my garbage. Anyone driving past my home can tell what's in it! Really useful for the fussy burglar!

My network service provider can triangulate my position while I'm emailing on my blackberry and my grocery store have a record of my buying habits. Bmw keeps a record of my driving patterns on their electronic engine management system installed in my car and my security company knows what time I sleep and when I get home.

Excusive books know about my strange reading habits and Musica and iTunes are aware of my unusual tastes in music.

SARS know what monies I receive and spend and whether I'm paying the appropriate amount of tax and home affairs are aware the instant I enter and leave the country. There is a scary thought! Of course my bank knows where I am every time I spend something and therefore whether I'm in the country or even my home city.

Banks know where I spend, when I do so, how much I save, what I'm worth and what my risk profile is. They know who I pay and whether I am likely to need additional funds.

My life insurers have all of my medical records on an electronic file and this contains some of the most intimate details that I have. They know my genetic predisposition for contracting particular dreaded diseases and what my life expectancy is based on my life style and current state of fitness.

The police force know about my driving habits from my traffic fine profile (something that I'm not proud of) which is now available on line and know what my likelihood of paying it is.

My Telco know where I live, what I likely earn, what I spend on long distance calls, what my likely disposable income is, what my payment risk is and who I'm calling.

Wow. Well I'm off to the gym now and they know when I'm there, how often, where I park, what I drive, how many hours I work out for every week, how much of squash I play and what my family workout behaviors are.

If u are lonely in today’s world, u are quite lucky! We all be paying more for privacy very soon (in this so called third world country)

Ps. I just realized that 4 different entities can track when I exceed the speed limit: the SAP! My Telco, BMW and my satellite tracking company!