I Do Not Consent to IT Industry Gathering My Data

I want to make clear that I do not consent to any Internet Company (or partners, associates and affiliates) gathering my data without my knowledge or permission.  I do not agree or give consent with accessing my laptop/computer on-line or off line logging in on the basis of security without my permission.

I do not agree with any telecommunication company monitoring my activities online, biometrics, keystrokes, recording, remote viewing, programs deleted or added, documents harvested through temporary files or accessing my external USB drive or interfering in any way without my awareness or conscious consent.

I have been really concerned to see defaults ON in Windows allowing automatic access to the microphone which means I can be heard speaking. I had some stress around using a Word package and formatting issues and I was off line not connected to a smart meter.  An icon pops up and recommends that I go online for feedback as if my protests were heard. I am thinking how did it know?  I am paying closer attention.  I realised my voice must be being recorded or some automatic program responds to my words.  I then wondered about the corporations that work with Microsoft as partners and what data they gather and the defaults in settings on Control Panel.  When I went through it I realised that so much of my data can be accessed  and there appears an assumption of approval when a tab is turned ON.  It is not agreement it is ignorance. I am learning more and more these days that tacit consent is used to justify access and people are kept in the dark as they are not IT experts. This is depended on so they can data gather.

I have even given thought to virus checkers and the fact that security programs can search your entire data under the premise of looking for viruses.  I then thought of how when I plug in my USB it says there is a problem and encourages scanning. Thankfully I never do it but realised last night that they can access my data as I click YES means consent.  No it doesn’t.

Clicking yes does not mean yes.  It means a task is being undertaken and nothing else.

I then thought back to online access by Microsoft staff who can easily access my desktop.  I do not give permission at all to any remote access.  If it is in the licence agreement inform me again so I know.

I want privacy, I want to type on my computer without anyone accessing my information quietly in the background or a smart meter capturing it every 5 seconds, no thank you.  I want a smart meter to measure electricity as a dumb meter. No data analytics whatsoever.  I have already done another blog where I withdrew consent from Telstra from data gathering as it is evident on the Privacy policy they give many access.

I have lost trust and it is as if what I took for granted as a product that assisted me in developing my work is now for me an intelligent AI device that gathers my work.

I even found a file on my USB that had copied my files and labelled folders by number.  I saw that my desk top files had been copied.  I don’t know how this file ended up on my USB but I didn’t put it there.  I had real concerns about this.

I am noticing day by day how data is being gathered.  I am not comfortable with it, I find myself becoming turned off by the cyber reality and when I finish this work I have to do now I may leave the cyber world as I do not accept it anymore as benefiting me.  I see it as people buying my data or surveillance happening because I am speaking my truth and monitoring me with no respect for my democratic rights as these diminish as IT takes hold on our communities.

To not fully inform us or consult the community is the highest contempt for our rights.  It reveals no respect and the compunction of greed to take what you want and keep privacy issues quiet or assure people that these companies care about privacy.  I am convinced it is all lip service as the profits are high.

I see this happening at a time when money could be spent on equality in our world, it could be spent on resolving conflict, it could be spent on real sustainability not as a marketing prospect but real work on how we can stabilise what is a collapsing ecological and economic system.

The economic system is not supportive of the real needs of people.  It is getting harder and harder for the average person to survive.  They are just regarded as consumers not people. If they don’t consume they are statistically of no value.  I will always remember reading that.

Technocracy will not be the panacea for the world’s problems as they are deeply disconnected from their humanity.  Money is not important, it is who you are and whether you benefit this world in a way that meets their real needs.  Products, advertising and data is not real wealth, it is materialism and intrusion on the same treadmill as business-as-usual.  When I think of how technology could have been used I just feel this deep disappointment of how unconscious we are.

So please respect my revoking of consent.  I want my privacy.

Just one last point, I do not dislike any person and I honour all to make choices in their lives. I was a market analyst and I understand the attraction in the money game but I am at a point where I see through the illusion of greed as success. I do respect all people and know all are on their own journey of discovery.  So I send peace and love, all ways.