Goodbye to privacy, our lives are under the microscope

Imagine, that you are being watched in everything you do… Think for a moment that every professional, family, or personal conversation you have is spied on by a number of people you have never met or communicated with… strangers who violate your life, your world, and your privacy.

For example, if you take a taxi in the Turkish city of Istanbul, internal cameras will monitor you, recording what the passengers do during the trips and keeping the data. It is likely that these cameras belong to a new application called I Taksi , similar to Uber, that collects phone numbers, location data, credit card information, and other sensitive data, which will later be used by government agencies with the aim of investigating terrorist incidents and solving crimes. And quickly obtain evidence and information regarding suspects. The Turkish media promoted the issue under the name “safe taxi.”

As for China, it was not satisfied with relying on a local #Internet, but rather forced its citizens to install some #spyapplications to monitor their phones, in addition to the Chinese government carrying out surprise inspections to ensure their presence on the phones of residents in the “Xinjiang” region. It also imposed a prison sentence and a fine for anyone who did not It carries the “Jingwang” application , which is supposed to automatically detect some of the contents of #smartphones, including videos that contain illegal terrorist or religious content, pictures, e-books, or documents on the phone. If any illegal content is detected, it will be requested to be deleted.

As for Israel, a security researcher at Google stated that it is “the sponsor of new malware, developed by a cyber weapons company that may be linked to espionage attempts.” These programs can monitor device communications, spy on the user’s email, SMS, location information, voice calls, and local social media. It can also take a screenshot from the user’s device and control the camera to take photos or record video, in addition to stealing data from a number of applications including Gmail , Google Chat, LinkedIn, Skype, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram.

It seems that the United States is riding the same wave, according to security expert John McAfee, “Every router in American homes is vulnerable to electronic attacks by #hackers and intelligence agencies.”

It is a clear and perhaps not reprehensible scene, especially since we all know that we are being monitored through the technology we use and the smartphones whose development we follow and accompany us even to the most private places. We are available to devices however they want and whenever they want, and we know that this deceptive freedom is faced with a digital siege that takes our breath away. Who is ready to give up #development and technology and its consequences in exchange for his privacy?

Picture it. Everything you do is being watched… Consider the possibility that every professional, and personal conversation you have is under surveillance by individuals you’ve never met or interacted with… unknown entities who infringe upon your life, your space, and your #privacy.

 In Istanbul, Turkey, taxis have hidden cameras that observe and record your journeys, storing the data. It’s possible that these hidden cameras are linked to a new service named “I Taksi”, similar to Uber, that gathers phone numbers, locations, credit card details, and other sensitive data. This information may later be accessed by government bodies for probing terrorist activities, solving crimes, and swiftly amassing evidence and data on suspects. The Turkish media has dubbed this initiative “safe taxi.”

In China, reliance on a local #Internet is not enough. In the region of Xinjiang, local authorities insist its citizens install #spyapplications to track their mobile phones and conducts random checks to ensure compliance. A failure to have the “Jingwang” app, which is designed to detect illicit terrorist or religious content, photos, e-books, or documents on smartphones, can result in imprisonment and fines. Detected unlawful material is then required to be erased.

Israel has also come under the spotlight.  A Google security researcher identified the nation as the originator of a novel malware, likely conceived and developed by a cyber weaponry firm and used in espionage. This software can monitor device communications and spy on emails, texts, locations, calls, and social media interactions. Even more, it can take screenshots, controlling the camera for photos or videos, and exfiltrating data from various apps like Gmail, Google Chat, LinkedIn, Skype, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram.

The United States is not exempt from this trend. As cybersecurity expert John McAfee points out, “Every router in American homes is susceptible to cyber incursions by #hackers and intelligence entities.”

This scenario is transparent, and possibly not entirely objectionable, given our awareness of the monitoring capabilities embedded in our technology and smartphones, which accompany us to even our most secluded sanctuaries. We are perpetually accessible to these devices at their behest, and we recognize that this illusory liberty is countered by a digital encirclement that suffocates us. Who is willing to give up #development and the amenities technology brings at the cost of their privacy?