My Top 7 reasons Why You Should Care About Your Privacy.

Right round the corner is an age, where your refrigerator can tweet about your leftovers and your toaster is probably listening in on your breakfast conversations and as a result you may naturally consider being a privacy advocate, which by the way isn't just for the tin-foil hat brigade anymore. It's high time the average Jane and Joe realized that their digital footprint is more like a digital stampede, and here's my 7 reasons why you should care:

1. Data Breaches: The New National Sport: Remember when your biggest worry was losing your wallet at the beach? Now, imagine losing your digital identity before finishing your morning coffee. Data breaches have become as common as pumpkin spice lattes in fall, with major companies occasionally oops-ing your personal info into the dark web. Championing privacy is less about hiding and more about not wanting your financial and family life to be an open book for every hacker in a hoodie. Case in point? 26 billion records get leaked was last week. Passwords. Personal Information. Conversations. etc...

2. Big Brother’s Watching – And He’s Got Popcorn: If you thought your overbearing neighbor was nosy, wait till you meet Uncle modern surveillance. It's not just about government snooping; it's the ads that follow you from one device to another, whispering, "Buy those sneakers!" "Take that holiday!" Privacy advocacy is the digital equivalent of closing your curtains – because sometimes, you just want to dance in your living room without becoming a targeted advertising statistic or worse, Alexa sharing with your friends your latest Cardi B moves in front of the mirror.

3. Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: Ever held back a tweet for fear of who might see it? That's the chilling effect of privacy erosion on free speech. Without a veil of privacy, the digital town square becomes less about open dialogue and more about watching your words. Advocating for privacy is akin to ensuring the town square remains a place for all voices – not just the ones with nothing to hide. Imagine Hyde Park corner and the soap box you have the privilege of standing on suddenly has a list of no go areas because you risk being cancelled by society or worse government. Sound familiar?

4. The Discrimination Algorithm: Ever been served an ad that assumes too much about you, based on your browsing history? That's just the tip of the iceberg. Personal data can lead to real-world discrimination, affecting everything from job prospects to loan approvals. It's already affecting your ability to get a permit to enter a country without you knowing it. Privacy isn't just about secrets; it's about resisting a world where algorithms decide your worth based on your digital breadcrumbs.

5. Mental Health in the Age of Over-Sharing: Ever felt the eerie sensation of being watched? That's your privacy (or the lack of it) affecting your mental well-being. In a world where every click is recorded, the psychological toll of digital surveillance can be like living in a reality show you never signed up for. Yes the Truman Show but you're the star. Advocating for privacy is about reclaiming your mental space, one app permission at a time.

6. Fair is Fair, Except When It’s Not: In the digital marketplace, your data is currency – but you're shopping without a wallet. Companies profit from the treasure trove of data you generate, often without so much as a "thank you." Pushing for privacy is about demanding a fair trade for the gold mine of data you're sitting on.

7. Democracy’s Digital Lifeline: At its heart, privacy is the bedrock of democracy. It protects the right to vote, to protest, and to speak against corruption without fear of reprisal. In the digital era, protecting privacy isn't just about personal rights; it's about preserving the pillars of a free society.

As an Arab who was raised on a Western standards, do you know how many times I have heard the statement; if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about. As an Arab of a darker complexion because of African DNA, the West always made me feel that I was lucky not to be on an authority's watch list with comments like that. So, in a world where your digital life is under constant surveillance, being a privacy advocate is less about hiding and more about fighting for the right to live freely in the digital age. After all, in the grand theater of life, shouldn't we all have the right to choose when the curtains are drawn?