How does the involuntary tracking of individuals via mobile apps infringe on personal freedoms?

By Aman Priyanshu

Involuntary tracking of individuals via mobile apps infringes on personal freedoms by violating their right to privacy and autonomy. When individuals are tracked without their consent, their every move, behavior, and preferences are monitored and recorded, leading to a significant invasion of their personal space. This not only undermines their fundamental right to privacy but also erodes their freedom to make choices without external influence. In addition, involuntary tracking can lead to the misuse of personal data, potentially exposing individuals to identity theft, financial fraud, and other forms of exploitation. Furthermore, the constant surveillance can create a chilling effect, deterring individuals from freely expressing themselves and engaging in activities without fear of being monitored.

Imagine walking through a crowded market where every step you take, every item you glance at, and every conversation you have is being closely observed and recorded by unknown entities. This constant surveillance not only invades your personal space but also influences the choices you make, limiting your freedom to explore and interact without feeling scrutinized. In the digital realm, involuntary tracking via mobile apps operates in a similar manner, where individuals are unknowingly monitored, leading to a loss of privacy and autonomy. Just as you wouldn’t want someone following your every move in a physical space, the involuntary tracking through mobile apps infringes on personal freedoms by subjecting individuals to constant surveillance and potential exploitation.

Please note that the provided answer is a brief overview; for a comprehensive exploration of privacy, privacy-enhancing technologies, and privacy engineering, as well as the innovative contributions from our students at Carnegie Mellon’s Privacy Engineering program, we highly encourage you to delve into our in-depth articles available through our homepage at https://privacy-engineering-cmu.github.io/.

Author: My name is Aman Priyanshu, you can check out my website for more details or check out my other socials: LinkedIn and Twitter

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