It has been one year since my last post and what a busy year.  I am surviving separation.  I moved with Hillary to another city.  This year was my first year (and last year if I can help it) teaching at a middle school.  I’m battling depression (which seems to be never ending).  Our political leaders’ concerns seem to moving far away from what I consider to be “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” and more into paranoia and racism.  I am feeling less and less represented each day.

The whole year has not been completely bad, however.  I am quite happy with how I have weathered it all.  I kept thinking, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”  My daughter graduated from college.  Proud is an understatement.  I also was able to spend more time with my grand kids which really helped in the battling of depression.  They are unbelievably cuddly and kind.  So, the year has been full of highs and lows, family has made the lows be not quite so low.

A few years ago, I kept getting bugged by emails from Facebook.  I really could care less about cute kittens or one of my high school mate’s vacation.  I also kept being tagged on pictures that I wasn’t even attached to.  I tried turning off all of the notifications in Facebook but never could get it to stop emailing me.  Eventually, in a fit of e-rage, I closed my Facebook account.  It still existed, it was just closed.  The heavens opened up, the emails stopped, and all was right with the world.

Since then Facebook has been a mess: Cambridge Analytica and the Russians, political opinion influencing, senate hearings, algorithms misfiring, etc.  Truly everything has been a mess.  I think the one that made me most mad was the Equifax hack where tons of individual records were stolen.  Equifax, the holder of all sensitive data, failed to secure its data properly yet received no penalty.  With that and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) being enacted it has really put a focus on how data is stored and used.  It is time we as a consumer, take control of our data.  Thus starts my journey of taking back my data and of my (and maybe your) Data Detox.

I love Baratunde.  He is a writer, comedian, and activist.  If you you have never heard of him, take a few minutes to read through a few of his articles.  You will not be disappointed.  Recently he suggested, in order to take control of your data, follow the Data Detox Kit which is presented by Mozilla but has been curated by the Tactical Technology Collective.

Day 0 of the Data Detox

Today we follow “Day 0” of the detox basically exploring why we are/should be interested in a Data Detox.  Is it bad that I checked off all of the reasons listed for caring about my data accumulation?  I’ve always hated the thought that companies made money off of my actions and yet I got nothing.  With the tons of hacks in the past few years I am real concerned about what information is out there to be used for nefarious reasons.  I also find ads that seem to know what you are thinking, too creepy.  I can not imagine why anyone finds value in being served adds based on artificial intelligence.  So, I am perfect for a data detox.  Stay tuned…