What's the purpose of this blog?

Some call the technology and information systems in our lives akin to us being "stuck in the matrix." We, freely or unknowingly, give up our personal information to thousands of companies, governments, and other organizations each and every day, week, month, and year. The goal of this blog is to explore ways to get better privacy and security in our daily lives. Many when asked about privacy will say,

"I don't really care that much about it, because I have nothing to hide."

They'll then take another sip of their coffee and continue scrolling on Instagram. But the thing is, privacy and security used to be the norm!

Most of what we did each day was not collected, recorded, cataloged, analyzed and then used to manipulate our opinions and influence us to buy things we can't afford with money we don't have to impress people we don't even like.

To those who claim they have nothing to hide, my first question is always:

"Is there a front door to your home?"

"Yes."

"Do you lock it whenever you leave your home or are home for an extended period of time."

"Yes and yes."

"Why? What are you hiding in there? Let me come in and put a few cameras and microphones just to make sure you're not doing anything nefarious..."

To which they will inevitably respond:

"What the hell? No! Absolutely not, that's so creepy!"

We allow this every day with the ways in which we are constantly connected to the internet through our numerous devices:

1. Computers/Laptops (becoming more rare)

2. Tablets

3. Mobile smartphones (the biggest trackers of them all)

So how do we get more privacy and security? Do we have to give up all of these great innovations and technological advancements, go to the woods without any power and completely disconnect?

OF COURSE NOT! This is what everyone thinks it means to live a more private digital life, but it is simply not true. While there is an inevitable trade-off when it comes to security or convenience, you can largely enjoy many of the technologies while minimizing (or in some cases, eliminating) your data and EVERY MOVE being tracked along the way.

I mean, have you looked at your smartphone app permissions? Why does the CALCULATOR app need access to my GPS location?

Questions like this and more will be addressed all in this blog. I hope you will consider subscribing and even submitting some of your own questions to learn how you can live your life, your way, without the prying eyes of anyone else.

With love,

Jessica Snowden

Founder and Chief Writer

Matrix Mind