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Comment by AlexandrB | Hacker News Reader

It's all fun and games until your data gets used against you. But by then it's too late.

There are many historical examples, but a great contemporary example is states using this data so they can prosecute you if your pregnancy ends[1]. In general private collection of data should be regarded the same as government collection of the same data, since all this data is subject to subpoena.

[1] https://www.thirdway.org/memo/the-new-front-in-the-battle-fo...

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Yes--which is why you should never use your normal system for anything you don't want connected to you. Take precautions when virtually approaching an abortion clinic like you would take precautions when approaching a physical one.

I simply assume Big Data (government or not) will be aware of pretty much anything I do unless I use a separate browser and a VPN. Think of it as a public space--if someone cares to look, they can.

How does being selectively private work for deductions made by connecting several dots?

e.g.

1. Buying several pregnancy tests

2. Missing several periods in your menstruation tracking app

3. GPS data for having traveled to an OB/GYN

4. GPS data for having traveled to a planned parenthood

It's far easier to be always private than having the cognitive burden of trying to discover when you want privacy.

Furthermore, you can't always have your day according to plan.

Why should you have to do this? Doesn’t this overly impact the people who need this most but aren’t aware?

I think we're only worried about our data in the hands of governments. So maybe we should make that illegal - but of course governments would never pass a law like that, against their own interest...

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