What is Your Digital Footprint?
Dear Big Brother,
Forgive me for not Tweeting this, but this is going to be more than 140 characters. I know your spiders will eventually crawl the text on this blog, but I’ll post a link to it on Facebook just in case that takes more than a day or you don’t read the email I sent to my mother (who still uses MySpace) letting her know I posted this.
I just wanted to ask you if it would be possible to stop bombarding me with that same banner ad on every web page I visit. While I appreciate the constant opportunity to buy that particular product, I’m afraid there has been some kind of misunderstanding. I don’t need it. Not even remotely close.
I realize you thought I was in the market because I attained ‘Mayor’ status at three locations on foursquare that would seem to fit the profile for the ad (perhaps you saw me there in the pictures on my Flickr account), but if you would have taken the time to read the text messages I sent to my boss, you would have realized that I was meeting with clients. They liked those locations. They just didn’t check in like I did.
I suppose you also might have inferred my interest in your product or services because of the movies I watched On-Demand or downloaded from Hulu and Netflix. But, you see my girlfriend likes those movies. I don’t even watch them. Not that that’s any of your business. I know my Pandora stream is pretty eclectic and hard to zero in on, but that might be a truer resource. Except for when my girlfriend is listening.
Most of the accounts I have and log into on a regular basis might also seem to tell you who I am and what I might like, but you see, I’m a writer and I utilize most of those sites for research purposes for other people. If I log in frequently, it means I’m busy working, not actively sharing my Id and Egos with you.
The same holds true for my internet searches and other web browsing activities. As far as you’re concerned, it’s irrelevant in helping you to learn who I really am. I know I create and access files frequently that might indicate otherwise, and I know you can get to know everyone else on the planet pretty well by their digital footprints. But I walk a little differently than most.
If you want to know who I am and what I might like to buy, there are plenty of people in my social networks that might be able to tell you if you ask them. Or just follow my instant messaging conversations with them to get a better idea. You can also stop by my house if you have my IP address and ask me in person.
I’m sorry for using cash so much. I know you’d have a better idea if you could match all of my purchases to my credit or debit card. And I know you can, which is why I try not to use them.
If you could start showing me ads for remote wilderness cabins off the grid, you might have a better chance at getting a sale. My ‘normal’ activity and locations should have told you that might be a better option. But then again, you can’t tell when I’m out in the wilds or how much time I spend there because I don’t have television, phone or internet service when I am out there.
If I did, you might think differently about me.
This is a guest post on behalf of Broadbandchoices.co.uk the broadband comparison website.
Hi…Thanks for guest posting here…Thanks for sharing your experience with us…
Very inspiring post!!Glad you shared this to us…
Can digital footprints be used as a detector for houses and stuff?