Before taking a look at this week’s activities I thought I had a pretty good understanding of online privacy. I knew that websites and browsers collect some information such as your IP address, but I had no idea how much additional information your ip address can give away. 

What struck me most was how easy it is to give away information without realizing it. Most of the time I use the internet without thinking twice. I open Google Maps when I need directions, accept cookies on websites without reading them, and sign up for apps because they’re convenient. I rarely stop to consider what information I’m sharing in exchange. 

We looked at four websites that are designed to show you digital tracking. This was a big eye opener for me. Ever since we explored these websites I’ve constantly been on edge wondering how much personal information I’m sharing every time I open a new website.

The first one we looked at was clickclickclick.click. It tells you in a pretty creepy voice, which was particularly unsettling for me, what you are doing such as mouse movement, idle time, scrolling patterns and even when you switch tabs. Watching a website tell you exactly what you’re doing as you’re doing it I found to be quite bizarre.

The second website, Since You Arrived I also found quite freaky. It immediately showed information about my device, location, browser, and internet connection. I was surprised by how quickly it could be collected and displayed back to me.

Next, I looked at Privacy.net. Similar to the previous activity, it revealed details about my connection and device. What stood out to me was not necessarily any single piece of information but how many small pieces of information could be collected at once. All these little details of information don’t seem like much but I can see how when all put together they can actually create a surprisingly detailed picture of a person.

Finally, I looked at Google Maps Timeline. This activity I think had the biggest impact on me because I use Google Maps regularly and have never considered how much location information it keeps track of. Seeing places I had visited organized into a timeline was both impressive and a little unsettling. During this activity I remembered how every time I get in my car I get a notification from maps trying to guess where I’m going by what the time is and places I have been to before. For example, I usually go to the gym before dinner around 4 or 5pm and I will get a notification that traffic is light on the way to the gym I go to. 

In a nutshell, this week’s activities made me much more aware of my digital footprint. While technology is a huge part of both learning and everyday life, I think it’s important to understand what information is being collected and how it is being used. I will definitely pay more attention to my privacy settings and online activity going forward.