Before you swipe, remember your privacy
You give up more than your money when you make purchases by mobile phone or bank card. Every non-cash transaction sends a new stream of personal data to the government, insurance companies and anyone else who wants your personal details. A KTH computer science researcher explains what you need to know — before you swipe.
Bank cards, smartphones and tablets haven't just made our lives easier — they've made it easier for governments, businesses and even individuals to map out the details of our private lives.
Targeted marketing is the most visible sign that we're being tracked, but computer science researcher Gerald Q. "Chip" Maguire Jr. sees another, more troubling trend. "The social control increases with the computerization of society," he says.
"Merchants can target direct marketing to you, or sell information to others. And health authorities can obtain your data to see if you're risking your health by what you eat and drink."
Knowing the risks of making your data available is key to making the right choices, he says. Maguire advises people to use cash rather than credit cards.
"You give up your privacy when all of your transactions are electronic. All it takes is having dinner at a pub in Stockholm and paying by card," he says.
Maguire points out that if, as in Sweden, the pub's cash register is connected to the tax authority, the government can assemble a record of your purchases and surreptitiously assess the accuracy of your income tax reporting. Health systems or insurance companies can also obtain the data to see if you are risking your health by your choice of food or drink.
Data from your purchase can also be used to determine whether or not you are home, which would be useful for a burglar or a stalker. Further, the data can show what your favorite food or drink is, and therefore be sold for direct marketing.
Maguire notes that while some people value their privacy very high, many people do not care at all. Nevertheless, he says it's important to spread knowledge about what actually happens when you pay by card.
"For those who care about their privacy, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain it — especially in countries like Sweden, where cash is becoming increasingly difficult to use. In many cases here, it's no longer even possible to pay with banknotes or coins."
Katarina Ahlfort