GOOGLE, Yahoo, Facebook and other commercial organisations that mine data on people's private activities should be required to regularly ''send us a report on what they have got on us'', the English celebrity philosopher A.C. Grayling argues.

This would be a first step in reclaiming privacy so thoughtlessly given away in our seduction by social media.

"I think on this front we are at a rather crucial phase" ... A.C. Grayling on privacy. Credit:Kate Geraghty

History shows that ''complete anarchy'' surrounding the initial use of revolutionary communication technologies - from print to Morse code, radio and television - is brought to order by users themselves seeking boundaries, Grayling says.

''I think on this front we are at rather a crucial phase … I don't think the current situation is going to be let drift much longer,'' he says.