Online privacy, a joke?

More and more frequently we learn about companies, mostly digital content providers and hardware manufactures, trying to gain control over as much as possible about out computing and consumption habits. Digital rights management is a well know phenomenon which is designed to limit consumers rights with their own, purchased media. Having spy software that track every keystroke you make and forwards a copy of every email you receive to an unknown, third party…

These are all things we are aware of and are struggling to battle every day. But what about the enemies within? Are they not the ones we really should fear?

Over the last two years I have read hundred of privacy policies for online service providers. And I must say I am horrified over what the average user accept! Almost every, single privacy and terms of service agreement states that the company you are entrusting with your data are free to use them for any purposes without even notifying you!

I have personally moved over to more and more of paid services online. I have figured that the privacy policies of the free service providers are either meant as jokes or that they are actually admitting that they do not give a damn about you or your personal life! Paid services however have different approaches: they secure your data and often even put physical guards!

Will you entrust your emails with a free provider claiming the rights to do what they feel with your data or say GoDaddy with these security features:

Closed-circuit cameras.

24-hour guards and physical location monitoring.

Biometric scanners and secure card-key access.

'Man-trap' restricted access to the data centers.

Locked cages enclosing all equipment.

My point where that paying for services you can trust (which actually rely heavily on you trusting them!) might save you some embarrassments. I guess you would not be to happy finding what you have written in an instant message or email all across a huge advertisement board or two! Not that it have happened (as I know of), but these free service providers do reserve the right to do so if they feel for it!

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