Privacy

"Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds."
-John Perry Barlow

Many people are concerned about their privacy being violated by the Internet. Information about you is collected and sold in ways you might not be aware of. For example, if you unsubscribe to a spam email then you've just told them that the email is an active account reaching a live person. They can sell that fact to other spammers.

dailyfinance.com reports on other agencies that collect information about you in Who Is Watching You?

The IRS "knows everything about what you earn and any major transactions you make. It can access every bit of information it needs to determine how much money" you owe in taxes.

The FBI "keeps a database of over 90 million fingerprints, ... It also has an extensive database of DNA, [since 9/11] It now tracks a large portion of mail, cell phone traffic and Internet activity of people it deems suspicious.

The article also list 9 industries that collect personal information ranked by the number of people they track.

1. Credit Rating Agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
2. Cell Phone Service Providers
3. Social Media Companies (Facebook)
4. Credit Card Companies
5. Search Engines (Google)
6. Retail Chains (Walmart)
7. Casinos
8. Large Banks (Bank of America, Chase, Citibank)
9. Life Insurance Companies

Bottom Line

Visit the full article for details on how each company is recording what you do. It's quite scary.