1. Nothing in life is Free.

Yes, this is true. If you are using Facebook, WhatsApp or Google then you are paying for these free online services and apps with your personal data. Your data, when combined with advanced algorithms, can reveal your most intimate behavioural secrets.

2. Most of the people have something to hide.

Some of us argue that we have nothing to hide but we believe that there are certain limitations to what you are comfortable sharing with certain audiences. And the fact that online data can be stored indefinitely means your information can be used in some unwelcome ways.

Somebody can argue that I might have something to hide in future but the truth is that once you give people the permission to spy on you, it is hard to take it away (or ensure they aren’t still doing it anyway).

Aptly said by John Lennon “Everybody has something to hide except me and my monkey”.

3. Rights are not taken away in one go.

Big Brother is a fictional character or symbol in novel 1984

You should be aware that rights are not taken away in a single swoop.They are chipped away piece by piece.If you have read1984, you might agree to this notion.

Today they want to read your email or tap your phone. Tomorrow it’s searching your mail because people are sending ricin to politicians. Then it’s cameras on every corner to prevent suicide bombers. Then comes cameras in your home, to find terrorists as they’re plotting, of course. Before you know it, it’s illegal to talk against the government or even have anti-government thoughts, because anyone who would criticise the government is a “terrorist.” Sure, it sounds ridiculous, but that’s how these things happen.

4. Most apps and services want to know things which aren’t needed for their functioning.

An iPhone alert showing that Facebook is trying to fetch your location even when you are not using it.

Everybody want to bank on your personal data.Your dictionary doesn’t need to know about your text. Your games don’t need to know about your location.Your chat app doesn’t need to know about your call history.

5. You cannot trust everyone.

A poster supporting Edward Snowden in Hongkong

Maybe you are comfortable with sharing data with the government and certain organisations, but that means you are trusting their employees as well. Take an example of Edward Snowden, he was a contractor not even a government employee, but he had access to a lot of classified information.