5. Taking back our digital identities
Ever since cookie development in the 1990s, people who use the web have been concerned with online privacy, i.e. how to protect their personal information and data while enjoying the benefits of a connected digital life. As computer technology has developed from closed systems to open systems of staged development where advertisers have sought ways to market products strategically, there has been concern about how companies access personal data through tracking technologies like flash cookies and web beacons—and most importantly, what those companies do with that information. Granted, visiting a site like BlueKai—whose sole purpose is to collect big data—is problematic because their interests are more aligned with profit than with protecting consumers; however, the company does make efforts to inform consumers about the information stored on their machines through the BlueKai Registry. Certainly, we are never going to realize a web free of tracking technologies, but as educators, we do have a responsibility of teaching our students about the types of data companies collect when we ask them to go online in our classrooms.
