In today’s world, many of the so-called “free” services we use come at a hidden cost. You might not be paying in cash, but you’re certainly paying with something else—your data. Social media, search engines, maps, messaging apps, you name it—they’re all constantly collecting bits and pieces of information about you. But how much should you actually care about that?

It’s not a straightforward answer. If your personal data is highly valuable—perhaps to more than just advertisers—then yes, you should absolutely be concerned. But for most people, the stakes aren’t that high because it’s not so much about individual data points, but the power of large datasets. Look at The Great Hack on Netflix, where companies like Cambridge Analytica used data from Facebook to influence elections around the world. Or take Blackstone’s purchase of Ancestry.com—millions of people willingly handed over their DNA just to trace their family history. The potential for misuse? Almost a given. All these examples focused on large datasets, rather than individual data.

What about when data is used for good?

I recently signed up for a research programme where you give blood, take some body measurements, answer a health questionnaire, and a charity linked to the NHS uses the data from millions of volunteers to find patterns linked to diseases for early diagnosis and new treatments. Was I worried about my data being misused? Of course. My trust in health institutions hit rock bottom after the whole shambles with the COVID vaccines. If I could go back, I’d have found a way to buy a fake vaccine certificate and never taken the jab.

So, why did I join this programme? Two main reasons.

First, when I heard about ChatGPT and how good it was at spotting patterns in data, I realised AI could completely change the healthcare game. Imagine linking anonymised health records with AI analysis—it could identify the early signs of disease and spot connections we’ve never even thought of. A few months after having this lightbulb moment, I received a letter about this very research programme. I was busy travelling, so I put it aside, but the idea stuck with me. Recently, I dug out the letter and signed up.

Second, I consider myself a bit of a realistic optimist. Is there a risk this data could be misused? Absolutely. But do I also believe that, on the whole, people want to do good? Yes. Even if a few bad things happen, I believe the overall outcome will be positive.

The Future of Warfare Is Data-Driven

Why is TikTok seen as such a massive threat to the US? Why did the West block sales of Huawei phones? Why do China and Russia restrict access to so many Western apps? And why did Telegram, the privacy-focused messaging app, recently change its terms and conditions?

It’s all about data. TikTok, owned by a Chinese company, collects a staggering amount of information on users’ likes, dislikes, and interests. Just like Cambridge Analytica used Facebook data to manipulate opinions with highly-targeted content, a foreign nation could do the same using one of the most popular apps in the world.

Huawei is a similar story. Their phones offered such good value that their market share was growing faster than the US or other countries were comfortable with. The likelihood that Huawei or China was directly using the phones to spy is slim. More likely, they were using the same data collection apps found on any Android or iPhone—the difference being that the data would end up in China, not the US.

And then there’s Telegram. How do you force one of the most privacy-focused apps to change its policies and give governments a backdoor? You arrest the owner and threaten them with prison, supposedly for being a paedophile. I haven’t researched the topic much, but the timing of these events doesn’t exactly scream coincidence.

Should You Be Worried About Your Privacy?

If you’re someone who’s planning on holding a position of power—whether as a politician, a CEO, or an activist leader—then yes, you should absolutely be worried about privacy. The last thing you want is for someone to manipulate your data to spread false information or ruin your reputation. In that case, get yourself a VPN, block all data collection requests, and avoid linking your accounts to anything personal. Steer clear of social media as much as possible.

But if you just want to live a regular life? The convenience of giving up some data is probably worth it. Most of the time, even when data is misused, it’s not for anything sinister—well, not deeply sinister. It’s usually just about squeezing out more profits. Do I mind that Facebook shows me better ads? Or that Google Maps recommends me a good restaurant nearby? Not really.

At the end of the day, it is nearly impossible to block all the ways in which the world collects your data. If someone wanted to, they probably will get your data. If you went completely off grid, and stopped using any government services, maybe you could protect your data. But is that a life worth living?

That said, we should absolutely continue to be vigilant on how large datasets are collected. Imagine if in the future, a company or a country can create viruses that only target people with specific DNA? Or if they can predict the masses behaviour? Who will most people vote for, what will you buy, who will you marry? Social status rankings similar to those in the Black Mirror series? Interesting times are ahead of us for sure.