1/2th of the 2 Genzers speaks about Online Privacy

The transcription discusses productivity hacks for morning routines, emphasizing the importance of starting the day right and avoiding excessive screen time. It also delves into privacy concerns related to data collection by tech giants, especially affecting Generation Z, highlighting the privacy paradox and the global privacy divide. The future of privacy is questioned, with suggestions for decentralized platforms and privacy-focused apps. The narrative stresses the need for individuals, especially Gen Z, to be proactive in protecting their data and considering the balance between privacy and popularity. Alright, good morning y'all, I finally got this thing rolling, if you're watching this chances are you are an early riser, just like me, or at least pretend to be one today, I'm up bright and early just like I am every day, but since Charles couldn't join me today, it's just gonna be me and you to talk about something awesome, productivity hacks for those precious morning hours, over the next few minutes I'm just gonna share some game changing tips that work for me, and they basically kinda just make your morning work for you, not against you, cause we all know how that is, stick around, we got a lot to cover, so first I just kinda wanted to get just the main stuff down, why mornings are so important, and why you need to treat your morning as that is the start of your day, that is absolutely when you need to kick in gear, studies show actually that your brain may peak focus in the first few hours after waking up, right before the chaos of the day kicks in, so how do you make the most of it, tip one, don't pull out your phone right away, I know, I know, trust me, that's the first thing you wanna do, pull it out and scroll, it's gonna end in a doom scrolling session, so just get yourself 30 minutes of like no screen time, it's basically just like a mental warm up, instead try stretching or staring out the window with your taffy, trust me, it really does like set the tone for the day, instead of immediately just getting on to technology, you know, like it can wait, so you know, here's like the power of having a good morning routine, I really set a point of, like I just write it down, or you know, do it on my phone, but I have some sort of schedule, schedules are really important, and it keeps us on time, and it keeps us in the mix, you know, now this doesn't mean a two hour yoga session, doing kegels right when you wake up, keep it simple, you know, for me, I hydrate, take my medications, plan and move on, step one, drink a big glass of water, your body's definitely dehydrated, especially after sleep, and it's just good to start your day with water, step two, jot down the top three priorities for the day, not 20, and you want to kind of like move those three priorities around, and find out which ones are urgent and important, and need to be done ASAP, and which ones are maybe important, but not so urgent, and then maybe there's some that are urgent, but not important, see there's a whole scale, there really is a whole scale, but I, you know, I am curious as well, like what is y'all's go-to routine for the morning, drop it in the comments, like I haven't got enough, you know, I mean we're all different people, we're all different people, so I know we all have different morning routines, I really am curious, all right, I'm going to switch gears here just a little bit, and I'm going to talk about something that is actually pretty rampant, and then it's something we don't think about, but this is just the fact that even though the big tech giants have said themselves, but by 2025, Zuck, I just call him Zuck, Mark Zuckerberg said we all as individuals would have over four thousand points of data per person, and Gen Z, we are a very connected generation with the internet, we are essentially dependent on it, in a very strong way, you yourself are the product, if you think about it, you're a goldmine of a data point, and it's not just from you guys, it's not just from anything like that, like remember Cambridge Analytica, they've used Facebook data to sway elections, your data isn't just vulnerable, it's a weapon, and Gen Z, although I love it, our generation, we're the most profiled generation ever, and what I mean by that is we have almost no rights when it comes to privacy, I mean everything from our location, what groceries we get, our money, our political views, and even the most deepest, darkest private information, like our biggest insecurities, because a lot of people these days are inputting stuff into these AIs, not realizing that that AI is going to save that response, and it's going to use it to make itself better, but it still knows that about you without your consent, I think it's insane, I really, really think it's insane, but here's what's controversial, you're looking at happiness, and by you I mean Gen Z as a whole, every time you click accept, without your, you know, trying to read what you're accepting, you're handing over your power, dang, at least you got those two filters, right? Almost every page has a pop-up, and it says allow all cookies, or allow needed cookies, what's a cookie? So that's basically a data point, and it can contain anything from your IP, so basically where you are, your age, I mean we all have profiles as humans, every single human has an online profile with these big, big corporations, and they sell it to make money, which I understand, but think about how little of a say that we have, and we don't even know how deep it goes, it's wild, now this is something I call the privacy paradox, our own hypocrisy, you know, it's just, let's talk about the elephant in the room, Generation Z, you claim to care about privacy, you're rioting against surveillance, you demand transparency, and gross boomers for not getting it, but here's the paradox, you're the most active generation on platforms that thrive, and I am telling you, thrive on exploiting your data, TikTok is the data vacuum, I mean Instagram, it's owned by Meta, the king of data mining, and don't get me started on Snapchat's quote disappearing messages, spoiler, they're not really gone, these companies are so big that they have like these supercharged warehouses, I mean all over the country, that output more power than you would ever think, ever, like that, it is insane, just to power all these servers, I mean it is, it's, we're living in a different world now, you know, like we really are, we really are, we really are, so to get percentage wise here, Generation Z is more willing to share their personal data, 88% are open to sharing on multiple, on social media for partially interesting or relevant topics, and scoring high on willingness to share data for better experiences, now older adults, they're only 67% open to sharing this data, which I can understand, you know, this willingness is kind of driven from a preference of personalization, 56% liking social media because of the protective measures online, clearing cookies, etc. Google Chrome is one of those dealers, I mean it is absolutely a mastermind, all of us now, unless you just have not been on the internet, live under a rock, have profiles of data about us, like, so that means that advertisements are tailored towards what you like and don't like because you shared that data, and you know like when you have a conversation with someone or your family, and then you get on your phone, and you see like an ad or something related to what you were just talking about, yeah, that's not a coincidence, it's not a coincidence, they're doing that on purpose, I mean, well duh, but that's from your data profile, so the global privacy divide, who's actually watching us, you know, it can get kind of nitty-gritty there because we're having different privacy laws like close to protest in Europe, and the surveillance in China, which is, oh my god, another story, privacy is anything, in the EU, GDPR gives you self-control, companies have to ask you for your data, and you can say no, but enforcement, highly at best, it's not enforcing anything, you're just like asking, they're still taking it, and in the US, there's no federal privacy law, California's trying with CCPA, but let's be real, it's a patchwork mess, and then there's China, where social media is a liberal surveillance tool, your social credit score decides if you can travel or get alone, extreme, yeah, but is the West that different? Here's the spicy cake, privacy has been dead, it's already dead, Generation Z is just the first generation to grow up without it, and you're really okay with it, it's like we've normalized being watched, but in some countries, that normalization comes with consequences, like action, so ask yourself, what's the cost of your convenience? Okay, so now let's talk about the future of privacy, if there really is one, now we have all these decentralized blockchain platforms coming out, which I partake in, I love those, those are awesome, but when you really think about it, what's next? What is next? Will Gen Z rise up and demand privacy, or are we just gonna roll over and accept that we are a surveillance state, no different than China, or Russia, or wherever, there are options, decentralized social media, blockchain-based platforms, even privacy-focused apps like Signal, like here's the hard truth, they're not as fun, they don't have the dopamine hits of TikTok, or the clout of Instagram, so will you choose privacy, or popularity, you know, like, look, I get it, social media, it's addictive, any app, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, but if you don't take control, someone else will, big tech, government, hackers, take the place, no, we're not gonna take control of us, the future of privacy isn't just a tech issue, it's a power struggle within us, and Gen Z, we are the center of that, so the question kinda is, are you gonna fight for your data, are you gonna fight for your profile, are you gonna fight against this, or will you let it own you, you know, and what I really recommend is, I mean, you don't have to do this, like, you literally don't, but I would literally just uninstall Google Chrome, and download Movad Browser, M-U-L-L-V-A-D, and I also always use a VPN, just because, like, that's some level of privacy, but even then, I'm not even fully covered, and it really, it sucks, it absolutely sucks, it absolutely sucks, let's not forget about AI, you know, I mentioned it earlier, but with AI becoming more integrated into our lives, like, our day-to-day lives, like, the ISIS app called Structured, and since I have ADHD, I decided to use it, but it's kinda cool, like, it schedules out my whole day, gives me timelines when to start, when to stop, when to take a break, and it knows when I'm feeling down, I mean, it's, it's wild, but, you know, sharing your location, sharing your life with AI can enhance your experience, but it can also just open you up to more survey lines, and you gotta think to yourself, are you okay with that? Because right now, it just seems like everybody is, you know, so, here's the bottom line, we're at a crossroads, we can continue down this path of sharing everything, valuing all this convenience over privacy, or we can take control of our privacy life, I mean, we have the choice, it's our choice, and to think about your data, once you get it out, you're probably not getting it back, you know? Like, that's just how it works. Like, I am genuinely making a challenge to my fellow Gen Zers, you know, like, what, like, what can you do about it? Well, first, you need to be aware, read those terms of service, even if they're boring, use privacy tools like VPNs, I do, I use Movag, again, it's like $5 for a whole month, and it's, I highly suggest it, ad blockers, tracker blockers, two-factor authentication, just be mindful of what you share, and with whom, and, you know, just maybe, log off sometimes, like, the world isn't gonna take a break from social media just because you're not there, it's gonna continue without you, and I, I, I, I also just wanted to introduce the actual risks, real risks of oversharing your data, you know, there's all this news about cyber criminals, cyber crimes, data breaches, emails being leaked, passwords, I'm sure you guys have seen this on your own thing, but lift yourself up with the real risks, you might think it's just social media, what's the worst that can happen? Well, a lot, actually, there was an ex-post, or Twitter, by, at Philippine Star, and she highlighted that Kaspersky, which is a cyber security firm, they're actually, like, outstanding, they have identified Generation Z as the most exposed to cyber crimes because of oversharing. When you post everything online, your location, your daily routine, and even your personal thoughts, you're giving hackers, scammers, and even big corporations, just, unlike I said earlier, a god of information, it's crazy when you really think about it. Let's just take TikTok for one example. During the congressional hearings with TikTok CEO Xiaochun, Gen Z rallied behind that platform, signing petitions to stop potential bans, like, we were like, no, you're not taking that away from us. But did you know that you kind of signed, like, a deal with the devil? TikTok collects more data than you could ever think of. Your keystrokes. What that means is essentially just every single word that you type on your phone or your computer. So they know exactly what you're looking up, what you want to eat, blah, blah, blah. That's insane. Your location. They know where you live. I mean, the amount of things you, and it has all your contacts, and they're like, when it says share all, and it's just, worst of all, it's a Chinese company. It's called ByteDance. You know, so when you're making those little TikTok dancing videos or smoothie videos, you know, I'm not actually roasting, but, you know, you're really just kind of feeding data to a foreign government, you know? I mean, is that a problem for some? Yeah. For others? Maybe not. But it's definitely something to think about. And one thing that we don't even realize is we value personalization. And all of these apps and new tech have that and offer that, and we go crazy for it, you know? It's kind of like you got to choose almost. We, 88%, that's a big percentage of our generation, we're open to sharing this private, with this private information, you know, just to make it more personalized for us, more, more easy, you know? So it's like, here's the catch, that personalization comes at a cost to your privacy. You're trading your data for convenience, and you're doing it willingly. In fact, some of you are even willing to sell your data for cash. You know, an ex-post by at samidabo, I'm just gonna read it out, at samidabo mentioned that Gen Z is willing to sell their personal data for $50 a month. Are you really okay with your data being commodified like that? End of quote. That's, that's insane. You know, it's not just about selling data, it's about what you're sharing for free. Every post, every comment, every location tag, it's all data. And that data's being used, like I said earlier, to build profiles. Now, what are these profiles? We'll give you a second to guess. Well, not only can they predict your behavior, they influence your decisions, and you're not even aware of this. Or are you aware of this, but you just don't care? You know, that's really crazy to think about. Imagine just having some kind of technological essence that knows how you work, knows your behavior, and quite literally influences you without, without even you knowing. It's like, is AI manipulating us? Like, what? Oh, man. Um, but look, I get it. Social media is addictive, okay? It's addictive, it just is. So, you know, here's the uncomfortable truth. It's a trade-off. You get connection, clout, and convenience, but you pay with your privacy. Generation Z, we are the ones that can flip the script. But will we? Or will we keep feeding the machine? You know? Let's recap. Your data's being mined, your actions are hypocritical, the world's privacy laws are a joke, and the future is sure as hell uncertain. But it's not hopeless. Start small. Read those terms, and use privacy tools. Log off once in a while. And if this hit a nerve with you, good. That's the point. That's the damn point. So, drop a comment, y'all. Are you a team privacy or team convenience? And if you're as fired up as I am, smash that button, subscribe, and let's keep this conversation going. I'll catch y'all in the next one. Stay woke. Just kidding, that's not gonna be mine. But, you know, definitely keep up with the two Gen Zers. We are going to be covering some really cool, controversial topics, you know, that kind of make you think, you know? So, I really think everyone's gonna love what we have coming, you know? Let me just do a few things here. Let's see. So, yeah. So, like I said, memorize and understand how big of a difference and how big of a problem this is. Eighty-eight percent of Generation Z is just willing to give their data away for free. I mean, without even knowing it, just clicking yes, blah, blah, blah. Eighty-eight percent. Sixty-seven percent of older adults, like Gen X, maybe older Gen, or below older Millennials, that's only sixty-seven. We're still pretty high, but, you know, you gotta think about that. And you never know what could happen. Identity theft. Think about that. Think about someone literally stealing your identity and doing things with it. That's a scary thought to me. That is a scary thought. I would never want that. But also, keep this in mind. Your digital footprint, if you thought it lasts forever before, oh lord, it's never going away now. It is never. Absolutely never. You know, Generation Z just, you know, they crave that virtual presence. But anyway, I just thought this was a great topic to cover. Too bad my homeboy 223, Charles, can't join me today. But he will definitely be in all the future ones, you know. But this is just something I'm pretty adamant about, and I think is wrong, and I wanted to address it. So, drop your comments. I want to see what you guys disagree with. You know, I want to have some debates. You know, fun and friendly. But anyways, without further ado, everybody, you know, I hope you have a great rest of your day. Go check out our blog. It's v2genzirs at blogspot.com. I'm working on getting my own domain. And just keep up with our podcasts. But yeah, you know, just stay safe, y'all. That's all I can say. You know, peace and love.