Personal vs private

The Internet is by default public, not private. That’s because the original protocol was not built with privacy in mind. Quite the opposite, actually. Whether that was the intention or not is no longer a worthwhile discussion.

If you use Dropbox, they admit to accessing user content, and not always because they are legally required to do so. Use Facebook or Instagram? Their in-app browser can track any interaction you make on a website. If you use Snapchat, every snap you’ve sent is cached on your device, as well as on the device of the person you sent it to, as long as they’ve opened it. Use Spotify to listen to music? They track everything you do, down to what brand of ear/head-phones you use. Use TikTok? They scan and analyze your keystrokes and messages, and collect your faceprints and voiceprints.

So if the Internet is not a private place, and something personal to you often means it’s somewhat private, where do you share it? I’m still working towards an answer to this one.