Indeed. I care a lot about this stuff, but my solution isn't to go to extremes to evade it. I just avoid it. For instance, there's zero chance I'd set foot on a Disney property, specifically because of these issues.
Honest question, why?
I am generally favourable to limiting the tracking we allow companies to perform at the legislative level because I'm pretty sure they are going to end up doing something nefarious to some group at some point going after a quick buck. I don't think the government should hold more than necessary because I fear what they can find in the aggregate.
But on a personnal level? What do you gain from going to extreme to avoid the surveillance you think you know? It seems to be a hassle with no upside.
I do avoid having data collected about me to a large degree, though, mostly by avoiding things that involve data collection where reasonably possible. So I won't go to a Disney property, I don't use SaaS services, etc. Once my current smartphone breaks, I won't be getting another smartphone.
Why? Simply because I don't like being spied on and resent the constant attempts at doing so. It's really no more complicated than that.
Well, there are a few other aspects (such as that none of the companies who are involved in the domestic surveillance industry are trustworthy), but "I don't want to be spied on" is the main thing.
Most people would say that’s going to extremes.
we created the world where this extreme behavior is normalized; I don't consider it to be extreme to strive for other paths -- even if it may be out of lock-step with society; if anything I view such calls for a return to basics as a moderating factor against such extreme abuse of non-corporate humans.
Maybe, but most people I interact with wouldn't. Except, perhaps, the smartphone part, but most people are far more dependent on their smartphones than I am. I don't view my efforts as going to extremes because they aren't imposing a huge burden or loss on me.
To me, the "why do you want privacy" question is a very odd one. In my worldview, my desire for it is literally no different than my desire to have curtains on my windows. I find it somewhat amazing that this is something others struggle to understand.
> Why? Simply because I don't like being spied on
Having a smartphone and being spied on are not synonymous. I am using Librem 5 smartphone, which does come with free spying.
The path of least resistance for me is to avoid smartphones and use a real pocket computer instead.
If anything, it's closer to that thought experiment around AI where if you tried to stop the killer AI from taking over the world, when it does arrive, you're the first to die because it knows you hate it. If we end up all living in Google's country or whatever, your friends with Android phones and Gmail accounts are going to be the ones faster than you and not the other way around.
None of this to say you shouldn't try to effect change, but don't mistake principle with self-preservation.
Trying to effect change on this is trying to engage in self-preservation, though. What's the alternative? To just lie down and die?
Consider the Suffragettes. Few people today would think women should be deprived of a vote. In the early twentieth century too, many thought it would be a good idea, but didn't want to make any personal sacrifice for the cause. It took single-minded actions of a few dedicated individuals and their tacit support by the majority to drive the necessary changes.
Taking pics of your face at checkout is bad enough, but if you don't push back against the slow creep of data collection somehow, it will not end there. What they've really been pushing for, for a long time now, is Personalized Dynamic Pricing (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338776528_A_special...) which means that once the store knows who you are (either by your photo, or by detecting the phone in your pocket, or by your loyalty card) they will alter the prices at the register to make as much money from you as they think they can get away with. They can drive up the price on items you always buy, or lower the price on certain items to attract you to them now so they can charge you more later. They can use data like what buy as well data like your income level, who the members of your household are, and what your shopping habits elsewhere are.
You gain a lot by pushing back on invasive tracking and violations of your privacy because those things exist only to let other people manipulate you and take more of your money. You'll likely never be told when or how the data someone somewhere managed to collect from you is later being used to screw you over, but it will be used to screw you over. Buy too much unhealthy food and your health insurance premiums go up. Buy a little too much alcohol, and now you've lost that job you wanted because your employer sees that and decides to hire the next candidate who has "better" habits. You never know what will prejudice someone against you, but all that data never goes away. It follows you for the rest of your life.
What you gain by pushing back is that there will be less ammo for others to use against you later. If that means driving an extra 10 minutes to the grocery store that doesn't record your face at the register, it's absolutely worth it for you.
That doesn't mean you can't ever go to disney world or that you have to walk around in Dazzle face paint to fool the cameras, but you should be aware of the risks to you and your children and you should be willing to take even small steps to protect them and yourself.
What kind of meaningful data is Disney going to gather on people based on their limited range of actions within the theme park context? This dad drinks Coke and never drinks Pepsi, dislikes the tea-cup ride...