Everyday technologies can collect personal and behavioural data. But who is using this data and why?

Written by Katy-Jane Mason for and on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd

“I have recently been watching a BBC series ‘The Secret Genius of Modern Life’ presented by Professor Hannah Fry. In the series, Professor Fry literally takes everyday tech items apart and uncovers the why’s, where’s and how’s about the technology involved in developing them.

Thus far, I have seen Professor Fry dissolve a credit card in acetone to remove the chip, take Alexa to pieces to find out more about her inner workings and most recently Professor Fry has delved into the technology of the Fitbit.

It was this episode that really started to make me think about how much personal data is collated and gathered by the everyday technologies surrounding us and how often we are completely oblivious as to who or what might be receiving that data.

We all panic when there is a news report about a security breach at a bank or somewhere that has your personal data. However, I wonder how many people have the same level of panic when they post their latest selfie tagging themselves wherever they happen to be, buy their coffee in the morning or simply make a phone call to a loved one? You’d think not, yet every time a device which is connected to a server or satellite is used, it gathers data – your data!

However, do you consider opting out (options given in every privacy policy) of data gathering when you use a search engine, post on TikTok, Instagram or any other social platform, purchase anything using a credit card or mobile payment method or even use public transport or your car?

Every device, every card – bank, gym, Oyster, etc – every app, TV, radio station, new car (especially electric) and even your Fitbit has the capacity to collect and collate data. Unless you make a conscious point of opting out using whatever privacy policy guidelines are put in place by every single transaction you make, your data will be gathered.

With this in mind I have thought of a few everyday items, apps and technologies which have the capacity to collate data and maybe pose some food for thought for the tech savvy among you.

So, what collects data in your daily life?

Mobile Phone

Your mobile phone has the capacity to not only pinpoint where you at any given moment, but it’s connectivity means it is sending and receiving data constantly.

Whenever you use a mobile phone or similar device, the data is being used by your phone provider to gather information about the kind of usage you get from the device.

Furthermore, depending on what you use your mobile phone for, AI can interpret your usage and make recommendations to you through advertising. Ever wondered why when you’ve been talking about a product that the next time you are on social media or using the internet an advert for that product appears? AI listens very carefully and cultivates a landscape it feels you would benefit from.

Mobile phones also have the same storage capacity as PC’s, so even if you delete anything from a mobile phone device, the digital echo remains.

Laptop or PC

Every time we use a laptop or PC whatever our activity it leaves a digital footprint. With most office-based software now being online or Cloud based, the data it gathers on your work and how you use the product, is constantly being used to find ways to improve the products you are using.

We are all aware that our IP addresses tether us to the internet, but do we really know how much of our information is being used and by whom?

Your car – anything connected to GPS or satellite technology

Any car which is connected via GPS has the capacity to be tracked and monitored. Large fleets and corporate companies use telemetry to monitor their fleet usage and use the feedback to create a more user-friendly experience for the end user or use the data to monitor end user behaviours. Nearly all modern deliver companies also use trackers for all of their vehicles. This data provides valuable feedback to companies about their employee’s performance.

Modern cars and in particular electric cars which are constantly being updated via satellite, are also sending data back to the manufacturers and think tanks to help them to gain more information about how their products are used and how they can improve them.

Fitbit or fitness watch

As Professor Fry explained in The Secret Genius of modern life episode on the Fitbit, the device is constantly collating data which is being used to support developments in the health and wellbeing sector.

One of the software developers explained in the programme that the Fitbit technology could predict health issues in an individual and ultimately sent this information to their Doctor for preventative measures to be put in place, before an individual becomes unwell.

However, despite the Fitbit having benefits for those who use it, Professor Fry ended the programme “I think I’m going to end a note of caution, as these devices get more and more senses, as they more and more sophisticated, we are going amass this gigantic data set of how an entire population of people are living and exercising and of course this can be an enormous source for good, but I do also think if we don’t get things right with privacy and security, that it could do quite a lot of damage” (1)

Credit card

This is a no brainer. Every time you use your credit card or any kind of payment card or app, your data is being collected.

However, your data is not only being collected to keep tabs on your spending, but it also feeds into data collections whereby some companies can sell information to other companies about spending behaviours amongst certain age groups, genders, etc, to help companies understand more about the kind of people using their products.

You would hope that this doesn’t happen, however, sadly this information has been being used by corporate companies for years to predict new trends, update their policies and to track end user (you) behaviours.

Business News Daily has recently written an interesting article on the very subject of businesses and think tanks collecting data.

As technologies that capture and analyse data proliferate, so do businesses’ abilities to contextualize data and draw new insights from it. Through consumer behaviour and predictive analytics, companies regularly capture, store and analyse large amounts of quantitative and qualitative data on their consumer base every day. Some companies have built an entire business model around consumer data, whether they sell personal information to a third party or create targeted ads to promote their products and services. (2)

The publication also goes on to explore what kind of data is being collated and how it is used:

Personal data. This category includes personally identifiable information such as Social Security numbers and gender, as well as nonpersonally identifiable information, including your IP address, web browser cookies and device IDs (which both your laptop and mobile device have).
Engagement data. This type of data details how consumers interact with a business’s website, mobile apps, text messages, social media pages, emails, paid ads and customer service routes.
Behavioral data. This category includes transactional details such as purchase histories, product usage information (e.g., repeated actions) and qualitative data (e.g., mouse movement information).
Attitudinal data. This data type encompasses metrics on consumer satisfaction, purchase criteria, product desirability and more. (2)

How do businesses collect your data?

Companies capture data in many ways from many sources. Some collection methods are highly technical, while others are more deductive (although these processes often employ sophisticated software). (2)

Therefore, are you worried about the data being collected about you or are you aware that in a modern technologically advancing society, it is very difficult to avoid your data being collected and therefore it is just easier to get on with life and accept that your data sets are part of it? Food for thought.”

Written by Katy-Jane Mason for and on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd