Freedom unleashed: Americans deserve the right to own their data
Although America is penned “the land of the free,” our freedom comes with exceptions. While some of these restrictions are in the name of civilian safety, what’s happening online isn’t for the greater good — it’s just for lining Big Tech’s pockets and consolidating digital power to the few.
The constant exploitation and control Americans face online needs to be remedied. While politicians propose new bills to keep anti-competitive behaviors in check and wrangle giant tech corporations that have failed to protect consumer privacy, it doesn’t prevent our sovereignty from being taken away.
Our data is under siege. Whether it’s popular social media giants that are liable for improperly profiting from the sale of our user data while preventing access to that data by the very users who created it, or the hospitals that we trust with our lives are tracking our data and transferring it to third parties, nearly all of our online engagements present data and privacy concerns that infringe on our freedom and sovereignty.
The issue extends beyond intentional exploitation by companies due to fallible Web2 infrastructure, which makes our data susceptible to data breaches — of which there were over 612 million as of July 2023 alone. The digital landscape has become an extension of our day-to-day existence, but this online frontier isn’t truly free.
At the very least, Americans should be able to own the data they generate.
Most data privacy concerns boil down to ownership and control. Who can see my data and what can be done with it? Although consumers have the right to thoroughly review and decline the Terms of Service agreement, many fall victim to its confusing tactics. Whether it’s lengthy conditions, ambiguous sign-offs or gatekeeping
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