The Privacy Crisis Has Us Paranoid

If the United States is the land of the free, why is everyone so paranoid?

More than any other country, the U.S. has suffered from a massive collapse in public trust. This includes trust in anything from government, media, businesses, and even non-governmental organizations, according to the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer report. It is an ironic finding considering the current success of both the stock market and employment rates in the U.S.

So what’s going on?

Well, the current U.S. political climate is much to blame for the drop in confidence. But coming up just behind the government is tech. The tech industry has scared users with its data leaks, security breaches, false information, and quest for profit over all else. Social media is very much at the heart of the issue.

Social media users, who make up 81% of the U.S. population, are starting to question their beloved digital networks. So much so that 40% of them have deleted a social media account in the past year due to privacy concerns.

Almost half of U.S. social media users have deleted a networking account. Not an app, not a browser bookmark, but they full-on deleted their account.

Can we blame them?

Social media sites provide more than just entertainment. For a lot of users, these platforms are how they get their local or national news, make purchasing decisions, and find events to attend. So when research shows that these sites make us unhappy, or when we learn the truth about clandestine data mining and our unwanted exposure to fake news, people are going to be upset. Angry. Asking questions. Demanding change.

Many feel “powerless.” The tech industry is intricately woven into the daily fabric of our lives, it’s almost unimaginable to think about living “off the grid”. We are on the grid, and the grid is in us. Fighting for privacy on public platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. can feel like a losing battle. Especially when we can’t even control our own privacy settings. These companies are starting to be questioned seriously by the media, the public, and even Congress, but there’s no way to know yet if any of this will lead to real change.

These days it’s hard to know what’s real on the internet. If you don’t know if something is real, or can be trusted, how can you engage in meaningful activity?

Start fresh on Go2s. With the private Go2s network, you can create a trusted network of people you can count on. The platform is a safe, ad-free place where users connect with the people who matter most and take action towards living a more meaningful life. At Go2s, we believe in people over profit. Just trust us.