The internet often feels like a place built for convenience. Search engines answer our questions in seconds, social media feeds seem perfectly tailored to our interests and advertisements appear almost uncannily relevant.
But behind this seamless experience lies a less visible reality – the modern digital world runs on data. Every search, click and scroll contributes to a vast system of information collection.
According to a 2016 study by Princeton University, around 92 per cent of the top one million websites contain third-party trackers. These trackers quietly monitor browsing behaviour across different platforms, gradually building detailed profiles of users.
This helps explain why online algorithms often feel almost too accurate. A study published in Nature Human Behaviour in 2019 found that analysing as few as ten Facebook “likes” could predict personality traits with surprising precision.
In other words, our digital footprints can reveal more about us than we may realise. Who we are, what we like and even how we think are increasingly reflected in the data we generate online.
At first glance, this level of personalisation can seem harmless. After all, it means seeing content we enjoy rather than things that hold no interest. But the same systems that recommend music or travel videos can also infer far more sensitive information. Research shows that online data can reveal political leanings, religious beliefs, mental health indicators and lifestyle habits with striking accuracy.
Harvard scholar Shoshana Zuboff famously described this system as “surveillance capitalism.” The model is straightforward: technology companies offer free services such as social media platforms or search engines, collect behavioural data from users and then use predictive profiling to sell targeted advertising.
A 2023 report by Meta showed that more than 80 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from advertising, highlighting just how central user data has become to the digital economy.
Many people believe they can avoid tracking by browsing in private or incognito mode. However, companies like Google have clarified that incognito browsing only prevents history from being saved on the device itself. Websites, internet service providers and external trackers can still collect information about online activity.
Even when users are not actively browsing, data may still be transmitted. A 2021 study from Trinity College Dublin found that Android devices send significant amounts of information back to servers even when they are idle. Similar concerns have also been raised about other devices, though some companies position themselves as more privacy focused.
Location data is particularly valuable. In 2018, an investigation by The New York Times demonstrated that supposedly anonymised location data purchased from data brokers could often be traced back to specific individuals. With enough information, it was possible to identify visits to homes, hospitals and places of worship.
The implications extend beyond advertising. The 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed how data harvested from millions of social media users was used to build psychological profiles for political campaigns. The controversy highlighted how digital information could potentially influence not only what people buy, but also what they believe.
Artificial intelligence has further accelerated this transformation. AI systems rely heavily on data to learn, adapt and generate results. What we search, write, upload or interact with online may be stored, analysed and used to train future systems. As AI technologies expand, questions about how personal data circulates and who controls it are becoming increasingly important.
In Bangladesh, discussions around digital privacy are also gaining attention. Aminul Bari Shuvro, Chief Solutions Officer at Synesis IT Ltd., explains that while legal foundations exist, the framework still needs strengthening.
“Bangladesh’s privacy protection, including Article 43 of the Constitution, provides an important constitutional promise for the privacy of citizens and their communications,” he says. “However, the current legal framework is not yet comprehensive enough to fully address digital privacy challenges in today’s technology-driven environment.”
He notes that although Article 43 establishes the principle of privacy, it lacks detailed provisions related to data protection, enforcement mechanisms, user consent and accountability for organisations handling personal information. With the rapid growth of digital services and e-governance, he believes Bangladesh would benefit from a modern data protection law with stronger regulatory oversight.
For individual users, however, awareness remains the first line of defence.
“In my opinion, the most important step is awareness,” Shuvro explains. “People need to understand the value of their personal data and the risks of sharing too much online.” Simple precautions, he suggests, can make a significant difference.
These include using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, limiting personal information shared on social media, avoiding suspicious links and keeping devices regularly updated. Being cautious while using public Wi-Fi networks can also reduce risk.
In everyday life, many apps request permissions that seem unnecessary – a fitness application asking for location access or an e-commerce platform requesting microphone permission. Often, users accept these requests without reading the details.
In a world built on data, privacy is no longer simply about what we choose to reveal. It is also about what technology quietly collects in the background. The digital age offers incredible convenience and innovation, but it also demands a new level of awareness.
After all, in today’s connected world, we are not just users of technology. We are also its data source.
