Life "Online" Big Brother is always watching!

Recently Facebook has come under fire for it's sharing of user data, in connection with the 2016 elections.  While the issue has surfaced in connection with the "Never"Trump movement (in my humble opinion), I would remind readers that the prior Presidents 2012 campaign also utilized Facebook Datas part of it's campaign. However, at the time that was considered "Brilliant".  While there may be differences in how the data was obtained the bottom line is virtually all our online activity is subject to surveillance and likely "mined" in ways we cannot imagine.  Every time you use Google search your activity is stored to purportedly assist in identifying your search preferences etc.  I have watched a few "news"pieces recently outlining how even if you shut off tracking in your cell phone Google (android) and I am sure Apple follows your every move.  

I have kidded my Faithful and Obedient companion about her Facebook account being monitored.  Self righteously I remind her that I never liked Facebook because I suspected they utilize such personal data in monitoring and identifying her "community" of friends.  However, she in turn cannot believe that I fell in love with a feature in Google called "timeline".  A few years back (when we were in Salt Lake City) I decided to set up the ability to have Google share with me their record of everywhere I have been with my cellphone.  Let me give you an example:

I looked at my Timeline for July 16th and 17th 2016  (why because I recalled our visit to Stowe at that time and searched for the day John and I made a particular stop) and here is what Google stored for me:

1.  I slept the night of the 15th at fellow blog reader John and Tish's house in Stowe Vermont.

2.  At  9:42 am I drove (with John but Google does not "know that") to The Lamoille County Fish and Game Club-a shooting range, a distance of 20.1 miles.

3.  We left the range at 2:40 PM and went to have a beer at the Lost Nation Brewpub in Morrisville Vermont.

4.  We left at 3:49 and stopped at Shaws Market in Stowe vermont at 3:59 PM and left at 4:14 PM

5.  We returned to John and Tish's at 4:34 PM.  We stayed there the rest of the day.

6.  We remained at John and Tish's until we drove to our friends Peter and Wendy Jones for Lunch on July 17th at at 10:57 am

7.  We stopped at Stowe Country Club for a Drink (I assume) after leaving Peter and Wendy's at 2:04 PM.  I cannot remember who we met there!

8.  Back to John and Tish's where we stayed until 5:22 PM

9.  We then drove to Blog followers Steve and Debbie Clark's where we had dinner and drank until 11:22 PM at which time we drove back to John and Tish's at 11:39 PM


Now I ask could Google mining such data assume:

I like to shoot guns?

I like Beer (it tracks every bar I go in for that matter)?

Who my circle of friends are in Stowe Vermont?

Now aside from how creepy this particular exercise is, I ask that you keep in mind one thing-that I may actually be better off "knowing" specifically what Google already "knows" about me?  Why? Because I am convinced that everyone of us who has a cell phone is under similar surveillance by "big data" and frankly it is something we should all be concerned about.  At any rate I have told my faithful and obedient companion that she can always find out where I have been just by checking my "Timeline". 

Unless of course I leave my phone at home!

I welcome any thoughts my readers may have on this issue after all Google knows when I visited everyone of you last! 

Until next time

Adieu