We rarely talk about tv shows here but we feel that this episode was so revealing and intelligent that it warrants a discussion. Black Mirror episode Joan is Awful follows a tech executive whose life is ruined because of privacy and AI issues. Don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything for you but we will delve into the reasons why this happened to Joan and how you can prevent it from happening to you. Actually, this whole scenario in one form or another could be happening to you as we speak. Of course, you have no idea that this is going because this is how the world of technology and The Internet work these days.
We’ve all been there, in a rush to install a new app, just clicking yes to everything. And even if you sat down and read the entire terms and services document, you would still eventually have to agree to it. In some cases, you wouldn’t but imagine not having a Google account or something like that. Or, for example, the company you work for says that now you have to communicate with other team members using Discord or something like that. Sometimes you really don’t have a choice but to limit the damage that that decision can do to your life. We’re certain you’re already aware of the fact that your phone is listening in on your conversations and selling that data to the highest bidder.
The same thing goes for any search term you type into Google or any Amazon product. All of this data is gathered, compiled, and then weaponized to yield more profits for third parties. Actually, did you know that you really cannot use Google properly anymore without a VPN? Yes, it’s true. You will be served results based on your prior search history and other preferences, funneling you into buying socks or something like that. You simply won’t get “organic” results even if you’re logged off. The only way to get them is to install a VPN, something that VPN companies have recognized and started advertising.
When you’re using a VPN, search engines will not know what ads to serve you or how to tailor the results. So, they’ll just display the search results like in the good old days. And if you’re wondering what should you do if your data is already being sold on the black market, you can use Surfshark’s Incogni. This tool enables you to request the deletion of your personal data from data brokers. Most of this data is gathered when you’re using your personal computer and you can protect it with a VPN. You can do the same for your smartphone and be completely safe. VPN encrypts your data and makes sure no one can access it.
When it comes to the question of AI, there’s simply nothing we can do about that at this point. We can only watch and hope that it’s not used for nefarious purposes. Although graphic designers are already feeling the first wave of that inevitable change. Back to this Black Mirror episode, Joan is Awful, we see how the most private of data, like personal chats and pictures, is used to generate profits for the streaming platform Streamberry. Hackers and other bad actors use the same methods to obtain your personal data, including search history, photos, and messages. They then use that data to blackmail you.
This is why it’s important to have a safe digital storage where you can keep your information free from such intrusions. And, of course, we’re already counting on you having a VPN security package installed on your computer and smartphone. Almost all top VPNs nowadays have special anti-malware and anti-virus modules that protect you from any kind of attacks.