Just came up with my father again.
He blames me that mother forgot her phone’s and Google password because I recommended against it being a word.
I mentioned encryption, “not necessary unless you’re doing something illegal”.
When mentioning lack of privacy with targeted advertisements, he said that he actually really likes them, because he bought a couple of things he wanted for years.
I don’t really have good arguments.
Ask them to unlock their phone and give it to me. If they have nothing to hide from me, then they truly have nothing to hide from anyone since I probably dont hold power over them (nor do I care to).
If they say yes, I show them that im going through their photos, location history, browsing history, texts, emails, all the usual suspects for surveilance. If they’re ok with all of that, then by God they truly have nothing to hide.
If they say no, I ask them why. Try to let them find the answer for themselves.
Most just refuse, which is a good reminder to them that everyone has some secrets to keep. Even if they’re completely innocuous.
I think this is why the privacy argument has never worked on me. I have just let whoever go through my phone cause what’s the worst that’s gonna happen? You see my 100k+ unread emails that are pretty much all spam that doesn’t get filtered, my porn tabs, and texts to my gf about Sonic the Hedgehog? I only have a password on my phone cause when I didn’t it somehow pocket dialed the police and they came to me at work annoyed that I wasted their time.
Granted that was an older phone, but I ain’t ever risking that one again.
That’s why you ask for things like PIN numbers or bank passwords. Things people are constantly being told not to share.
I mean mine are the same things I’ve used for everything. My PIN is the same 4 numbers I’ve used for everything that asks for a 4 digit code dating back to when the PS2 would ask for one when watching movies. My bank password is the same except with an extra number copied cause they wanted a 5 digit code on the app (I think for the website it’s also just the same password I’ve been using since I made my first ever website account on RuneScape).
If you’re wanting details like routing numbers or whatever, can’t really help you there. Every time I’ve been asked for that info I go to the bank and get it, put it in whatever asked for it, then throw the paper away. Someone could probably dig in my trashcan or the trash of the carwash I go to and steal the small amount of money I have, but I don’t really care.
OK, now give your phone and wallet access to anyone on the net.
Including the government, that other government, Kim Jong Un, a pimply broke teeneager in some failed ex-soviet state who doesn’t extradite to your place, Mike the Pervert (not allowed within 100m from any other living or recently deceased human by a court order), Mario NotAMobstero and Ranjin who works for $2.50/h in a scam call center.
Not really sure how to give them my phone when they’re nowhere near me. If they came up and asked, I probably would tbh.
You do realise it is not about the physical phone, but what you do / have on it? That’s why I said access, and on the net.
My physical device is worth what, $50 with the half dead battery and all the scratches.
My bank and savings account is worth quite a bit more, and my non-felon status, citizenship of a (for now) democratic country and my private and professional reputation are as well.
See mine isn’t worth all that much. I have barely anything in my bank account and I’m pretty sure all of my account info for so many sites have been posted somewhere. My work offered one of those privacy services for free and within a week or 2 I was told they found stuff on the “dark web” or whatever. I’ve been told that for years and nothing ever comes of it cause what do I got worth taking?
I don’t know about you, but:
I have some money. Not much, but I’d like to keep it, because food and rent is kind of required.
I don’t have a criminal record, and I would hate it if someone used my identity to commit crimes. At the very least, doors and lawyers are expensive.
Figure out how to simulate and scam me and a few million other dudes like me, and you have pretty good chances of getting elected here. That stuff is happening in all major elections now, and the results are, well, I assume you read the news.
I would really hate it if you send my detailed porn habits to my boss and my grandma. At the very least my boss would think I’m an idiot and don’t deserve a job working with computers and expensive machines.
Bonus argument:
I’ve known people who drive without a seatbelt for years, and they haven’t died yet.
I got a feeling if either of my bosses saw my porn history, they wouldn’t really care. It’s ultra vanilla cause I’m boring like that and it doesn’t affect my ability to pull around cow carcusses. And if you’re gonna tell me to just show them, I’d get fired for having my phone anywhere near them. The place is ULTRA strict about having no phones anywhere near the work floor. Only allowed in the locker room and break room. I have seen people get fired on the spot for taking a quick 1 second peek at their phone when they had nothing to do at that second.
The other stuff is still just things that don’t bug me. Like I said, I have basically no money and could honestly care less about getting hauled off to prison for something. I guess I just never really valued my life all that much. I value it enough to keep living (despite what my thoughts keep telling me), but not much beyond that. Helps that nobody depends on me for anything.
I mean, congrats on your nihilism. If I cared about neither myself nor those close to me nor some abstract “humanity” or “society”, I would have it much easier in life.
Sadly, I still feel bad when I think of bad things happening to good people, or, even worse, me.
Now start deleting everything or maybe sending some texts
That’s not making an argument for privacy, that’s being a jerk.
Yes it is, luckily I was joking, but having a bad password, technically that can happen