I'm always complaining to my cyber-security-expert-son about the ever-increasing lack of internet privacy. My latest gripe session was about the tracking in our lives from search engines. He wasn't too sympathetic but he sent me this:

Google knows!
Subject: Today's Reality

CALLER: Is this Gordon's Pizza?

GOOGLE: No sir, it's Google Pizza.

CALLER: I must have dialed a wrong number. Sorry.

GOOGLE: No sir, Google bought Gordon’s Pizza last month.

CALLER: OK. I would like to order a pizza.

GOOGLE: Do you want your usual, sir?

CALLER: My usual? You know me?

GOOGLE: According to our caller ID data sheet, the last 12 times you called you ordered an extra-large pizza with three cheeses, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and meatballs on a thick crust.

CALLER: OK! That’s what I want ...

GOOGLE: May I suggest that this time you order a pizza with ricotta, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and olives on a whole wheat gluten-free thin crust?

CALLER: What? I detest vegetable!

GOOGLE: Your cholesterol is not good, sir.

CALLER: How the hell do you know!

GOOGLE: Well, we cross-referenced your home phone number with your medical records. We have the results of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

CALLER: Okay, but I do not want your rotten vegetable pizza! I already take medication for my cholesterol.

GOOGLE: Excuse me sir, but you have not taken your medication regularly. According to our database, you purchased a box of 30 cholesterol tablets only once, at Drug RX Network, 4 months ago.

CALLER: I bought more from another drugstore.

GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your credit card statement.

CALLER: I paid in cash.

GOOGLE: But you did not withdraw enough cash according to your bank statement.

CALLER: I have other sources of cash.

GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your last tax return unless you bought them using an undeclared income source, which is against the law.

CALLER: WHAT THE HELL!

GOOGLE: I'm sorry, sir, we use such information only with the sole intention of helping you.

CALLER: Enough already! I'm sick to death of Google, Facebook, Twitter, Whats App and all the others. I'm going to an island without internet, cable TV, where there is no cell phone service and no one to watch me or spy on me.

GOOGLE: I understand sir, but you need to renew your passport first. It expired 6 weeks ago.

 

Wonderful! I'm in the process of sending it to all my mates.

This was to make fun ?

@AmeliaCat yes.

However, it is scarily close to becoming actual near-future reality - moves to cashless society, possibility of being refused stuff for not having a test (not talking background checks for a firearm here! You know what I mean..) etc.

My son has been in the cyber-security field for quite some time now (he has his own company) and he assures me that he can do almost anything on that list from his home computer. I've watched as he's shown me just how easy it is (for him) to do stuff like this and, you're right, it's truly scary.

8 hours ago, AmeliaCat said:

This was to make fun ?

Yep!  Then again... maybe more truth than fiction. 😖

4 minutes ago, stans said:

Yep!  Then again... maybe more truth than fiction. 😖

You'd be surprised what can be seen out there in internet land!  Doug, fer cryin' out loud......Wouldya put some pants on! 

1 minute ago, charliearon said:

You'd be surprised what can be seen out there in internet land!  Doug, fer cryin' out loud......Wouldya put some pants on! 

LOL!!!!!  And true!

We were at a family gathering (some time ago!!) and my mother in law said "Have you ever seen such a disgusting thing?" I forget what she was referring to, but I mentioned to my wife under my breath"..thanks to broadband internet, yes I have!" 

 

37 minutes ago, charliearon said:

Doug, fer cryin' out loud......Wouldya put some pants on! 

I've been meaning to turn off that word-not-allowed camera for weeks now. Thanks for the reminder. 😃

2 minutes ago, W2DR said:

 

I've been meaning to turn off that word-not-allowed camera for weeks now. Thanks for the reminder. 😃

I got an email from a guy that threatened to tell all my friends about what I do on my computer. He said he'd hacked into my webcam. I tell you, it frightened the life out of me!

 

Then I realised, I don't have a webcam! Dang! I paid him $500 to keep quiet about it too. 🙁

29 minutes ago, Ron Attwood said:

I got an email from a guy that threatened to tell all my friends about what I do on my computer. He said he'd hacked into my webcam. I tell you, it frightened the life out of me!

The same (or similar) person emailed me twice with the same threats of exposure. Since I didn't even have a webcam I simply ignored both emails.

Now that I do have a webcam (since I need it for work-related Zoom meetings), when not in active use I keep it pointed backwards towards a blank wall...

...just to stay on the safe side! 😝

37 minutes ago, Ron Attwood said:

I got an email from a guy that threatened to tell all my friends about what I do on my computer. He said he'd hacked into my webcam. I tell you, it frightened the life out of me!

 

Then I realised, I don't have a webcam! Dang! I paid him $500 to keep quiet about it too. 🙁

Are you sure it did not scare the hell out of him.......or was he rolling round on the ground laughing....

Edited November 21, 20205 yr by harrry

3 hours ago, HighBypass said:

@AmeliaCat yes.

However, it is scarily close to becoming actual near-future reality - moves to cashless society, possibility of being refused stuff for not having a test (not talking background checks for a firearm here! You know what I mean..) etc.

I predict that within 20 years most countries will move to a digital currency and eliminate cash.  Once this is accomplished, all transactions will be monitored and eventually taxed. 

You will conform.  You will be assimilated.  Resistance is futile.

Dave

2 minutes ago, dave2013 said:

 

You will conform.  You will be assimilated.  Resistance is futile.