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Protecting privacy online begins with tackling 'digital resignation'
This is an excerpt of an article written for The Conversation by Zeynep Arsel, associate professor, Marketing and Concordia University Research Chair in Consumption, Markets and Society; and Meiling Fong, PhD Student, Individualized Program.
From smart watches and meditation apps to digital assistants and social media platforms, we interact with technology daily. And some of these technologies have become an essential part of our social and professional lives.
In exchange for access to their digital products and services, many tech companies collect and use our personal information. They use that information to predict and influence our future behaviour. This kind of surveillance capitalism can take the form of recommendation algorithms, targeted advertising and customized experiences.
Tech companies claim these personalized experiences and benefits enhance the user’s experience, however the vast majority of consumers are unhappy with these practices, especially after learning how their data is collected.
