We Never Had a Chance at Controlling Our Data

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In the past, surrendering our personal information has been the hidden cost of entry into the digital world.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that this is the only way – that relinquishing control over our digital identities is the price we pay for convenience and connectivity.

This misconception has been perpetuated and normalized over the years, leading many of us to resign ourselves to a seemingly inescapable reality.

Each time we surf the internet, make an online purchase or use an app, we leave behind pieces of our personal information.

This routine action has sparked worries about privacy and the misuse of our data by businesses, governments and other entities.

It might seem like people are willingly giving away their data – but the reality is much more complicated.

In fact, most people don’t fully understand how these companies collect, store and use their data.

On top of that, the tools needed to protect our privacy are often hard to find or complicated to use, leading to a feeling of powerlessness and acceptance.

As we’ve become more immersed in the digital world, we’ve unknowingly surrendered control over our personal data, accepting this loss as the new normal.

As users, we have become accustomed to sharing our data with anyone who requests it.

We always keep our driver’s licenses and passports with us, but somehow, we give away ownership of our digital identities without much thought.

We willingly provide our email addresses, phone numbers and other personal information to access online services simply because we have grown accustomed to doing so.

Fortunately, as technology continues to evolve, we can finally build a better system in Web 3.0 and give back a choice to the users.

Yes, use my data

Would you give a stranger on the street your home address, the names of all your friends, your shopping preferences and a detailed account of your daily activities? Probably not.

Yet, this is what we do every day when we use digital services.

There is an undeniable utility to the way our data is used by corporations. Data powers the personalization and convenience of digital experiences we have grown to appreciate.

After all, they offer a plethora of services that many of us rely on daily, and these services are often free to use.

The question is not about the usefulness of data usage, but rather, about the transparency and control of this process.

The paradigm of ‘data for…