"The Latin word data is the plural of datum, "(thing) given," and the neuter past participle of dare, "to give". The first English use of the word "data" is from the 1640s. The word "data" was first used to mean "transmissible and storable computer information" in 1946. The expression "data processing" was first used in 1954. When "data" is used more generally as a synonym for "information", it is treated as a mass noun in singular form." - (C) Wikipedia.
The giving out of data is a common human activity and we do it every time we speak, think, and act in a particular way. Of course most of our behaviour may be common to us at times and it does not count as new insights. It may also be common to others and this also counts as data so generic that it doesn't make sense to note it again. It would count as repetition and this is usually only done by someone who has a pre-disposed proclivity to it.
In general the facts we make about ourselves are our choice as to whether we make them public or private. In our younger years it's a choice of which toy to play with or which television program we like. This is a choice we have and at that age we are not thinking about what it means to others. This is because we are safe in our own homes or we have bedrooms that are our own. This makes us safe because we can make decisions daily that are ours to keep private unless of course we make them public.
In this sense we become unsafe in later years because people take an interest in us. They take an interest in what we say and ask us questions. They take an interest in what we have and see if we want more. This is the sort of question and answer interaction that makes up a conversation on any given day. This is data we are giving away.
In time it becomes easier and more straightforward to give away particular data - or facts - about ourselves. We may restate our age to people often as we meet others. It may be our name that is most often given out or maybe our cell or phone number. It may be an email address we have or a social media handle that is our data to give out. These are such generic pieces of information it doesn't matter but also they begin to be covered by law.
The fact is legal experts expect us to pick up particular tools as we grow and begin to be useful in life. It means that as we start to work we're assumed to have the necessary contact book, email address, residential address and other types of similar information to our name. This is an important fact of life. It's also a subject of litigation and protections in law that we are guaranteed some sort of fraud protection or police help if it goes awry.
The law sets out to anticipate life's dramas and decisions and provides protections around them. As we grow we sort of start a "microblog" of our own which is surmised of who we are and basically contains what we do. It may be a few house moves and job change later that reminds us we have collated data about ourselves. This is the sort of data others like companies want because it's basic information about us that is valuable to their research.
It's with this sort of data that governments, non-governmental organisations, and private parties can begin to tailor their services toward us. Unfortunately it's also an opportunity for nefarious actors to make closer moves toward us than is comfortable. We don't expect it from a government official and we don't like it from strangers. However they are opportunists who like to take advantage of us for their own ends. It doesn't mean we're reckless in giving away our information it just means we need to be vigilant we are not putting ourselves in harms way.
Posted: 27 July 2024.