As you know, information about you is being collected by many different organizations.  Companies like Acxiom and Experian for example have databases with your name on them and somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,400 attributes, from where you live to your demographic profile, magazines you may read, social sites you visit and so on.  Other companies such as your grocery store are capturing all of your transaction data so they are fully aware of what you purchase, when you purchase it and how much you paid for it.  Medical companies have databases on your health, the types of prescriptions you take etc.  Credit card companies know where you spend your money, on what and when.  Your phone company knows every call and text message you make.  Your smartphone provides many cool applications, most of which are “location based”.  Even your EZ Pass knows where you are, where you are going and where you have been.  Your neighborhood has a rating for crime, sexual predators, school ratings, walkability and many other facts that we find useful when selecting a place to live.  And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

We live in an information society where privacy has nearly been eliminated.  We live in a society where the amount of data being captured about us everyday is just staggering.  We live in a society that has the technology to munge (technology term) all of this data together and create a profile about you so they can “personalize” their experience with you.

Click on this link for a demonstration on what it may be like in the near future when you order a pizza.  Turn up the volume and watch the screen.

http://www.aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf

So what do you think?

Please post your comments below for all to see.

Have a great day!

Webman