In this thought-provoking episode, Carissa Veliz discusses the intricate relationship between personal data, privacy, and the pervasive influence of technology in our lives. Veliz delves into the revenue models of giants like Google, which are heavily reliant on data-driven business strategies, and the shadowy world of data brokers who trade personal information with little regard for consent. The conversation also covers the murky waters of terms and conditions, the exploitation of data by governments under the guise of security, and the societal transformation following events like 9/11, which led to privacy becoming a seemingly lost social norm.

The episode further explores the broader implications of diminishing privacy, including the role of algorithms in making decisions on our behalf, China’s stringent data control measures, and the emergence of AI as a formidable global power with significant implications for future privacy. Veliz emphasizes the importance of defending our privacy rights against the encroachments of Big Tech, especially as biometric data becomes increasingly coveted. Concluding on a proactive note, Veliz advocates for the crucial steps individuals can take to safeguard their digital footprint, underscoring the urgency of reevaluating our relationship with technology to protect our fundamental rights to privacy.

About Carissa:
Carissa Véliz is an Associate Professor in Philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI, and a Fellow at Hertford College at the University of Oxford. She works on privacy, technology, moral and political philosophy, and public policy. Véliz has published articles in media such as the Guardian, the New York Times, New Statesman, and the Independent. Her academic work has been published in The Harvard Business Review, Nature Electronics, Nature Energy, and The American Journal of Bioethics, among other journals. She is the author of Privacy Is Power (Bantam Press) and the editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics.

Read Privacy is Power now - https://www.carissaveliz.com/books

Highlights:

00:00 Intro and Episode Preview

03:13 Revenue Disconnect from Service Quality

04:14 Google's Data-driven Business Model

07:30 How Data Brokers Sell Your Information

10:25 Ambiguous Terms and Conditions

12:11 Governments Exploit Data for Security

14:36 Targeted Surveillance Effectiveness

15:32 Society Shift after 9/11

15:48 Privacy: A Lost Social Norm?

21:45 Consequences of Ignoring Privacy Importance

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