On Google indexing you. What are you worried about?

So I’m seeing all these statuses on Facebook about blocking Google from indexing you.

I see these things and I have to chuckle. In the U.S., a great deal of our personal data is completely available to everyone. In some cases for just a few bucks.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all of that information you give when you use the discount and membership cards? Ever wonder how they knew you’d need those coupons for Pedialyte or Mighty Dog? Ever wonder what they can legally sell about this information? The answer is everything.

Any law against indexing your purchasing habits by your credit card? Any laws against selling it? Nope. And if there are it’s probably an opt-out plan…fully disclosed in the fine print.

I shudder to think of what the phone companies (particularly cell/wireless) can legally sell. We already know they’re immune from any liability in giving anything and everything to the Federal government. Both Republicans and Obama set us up for that one.

And honestly, if they are doing something “illegal” who’s going to sue them? When the information on millions can be stored in a $50 thumb drive…where’s it all going?

It got this way because nobody pays attention to the actual laws that are passing. We read a bumper sticker, get happy and vote for “our guys”. Meanwhile, every company and trade group in the world ensures that they can do whatever they want with this information. I’m sure it was tucked in to the various “What’s Awesome for America Omnibus act of 200X” bills that always come up (for the children, of course).

The time to worry about our digital privacy was about 13 years ago, and it would have required laws that our Congress is, quite frankly, incapable of passing. That time has come and gone. No sense worrying about it anymore. Just relax and enjoy the fact that most corporations are too incompetent to really bother us all that much.

(BTW, if you have used a credit card online, it HAS been stolen. It just has. Don’t worry about it, but don’t ever use a debit card online.)