Apps often save data about all your activity. Which apps did you use? Audible, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Safari, WhatsApp, Telegram, BlueBike, Netflix, Marvel (game app).
Moving Around Town Using a credit card, T pass or library card creates data and security cameras track your location. Where did you go and what did you do? T: From Porter Square to Kendall (morning); BlueBike: From Kendall to Porter evening).
Getting Online Games and websites log your activity. What did you do online? Read the news in Safari, followed my twitter feed, watched Netflix, played with a game app (Marvel).
Other Things What other data breadcrumbs did you leave behind during your day? I’d say that my email activity
I had two long phone calls on Sunday. First, with my dad and then with a friend. The phone call with the friend was made over WhatsApp. In addition to speaking on the phone, I used iMessage and WhatsApp to chat communicate with a total of 9 people.
Moving Around Town
I took a long walk with a friend on Sunday morning–the weather was fantastic! We walked from my house in Somerville to Bagelsaurus where I used my credit card to purchase an Everything Bagel. We then walked down to Harvard Square and towards the Mt. Auburn area. There, I made a stop at Darwins to purchase a coffee with my credit card. While walking, my internet remained connected to my Verizon data. We then walked along the Charles and finally looped back to my house in Somerville. After the walk, I did not leave my house that day.
Getting Online
I spent a considerable amount of time on the internet. I had to write a policy memo for another class, and needed to research the impact of climate change on water infrastructure in Chennai. I browsed through news publications (NPR, Washington Post, Caravan, Scroll, NYT, The Hindu, Times of India, etc). I also browsed publications from the OECD, World Bank, Observer Research Foundation, and USAID. I logged into the MIT library network to pursue academic articles, Stella and Harvard Canvas to check on other assignments. I typically do my writing on google docs, so I was also logged into my google account. While procrastinating on my research and writing, I watched a few episodes of Veep on Amazon Prime, browsed through Instagram, and Facebook. I also listened to a few live musical performances on YouTube.
Other Things
Since I didn’t leave the house, other then to take a walk, I don’t think I left as much of a data trail as I normally would have. I am careless about closing apps on my phone, and typically have WhatsApp, Instagram, FB Messenger, Safari, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps, and Blue Bike on in the background. I imagine that though not in use, they might be passively collecting my location data.
I started my day in the Student Center, as I worked there overnight Sunday. The study space has tap access so every time I used the bathroom or filled up my water bottle I would use my ID giving location data and information about the usage of the space.
I bought a plane ticket. This is notoriously a process that takes a lot of data using cookies. I also bought this ticket after monitoring a price tracker with alerts for the last two months and waiting for the price to drop. I bought the ticket after receiving an alert e-mail and following the link in the e-mail so there is data given to google about how successful this service is. I also used my credit card to buy the ticket.
P-set printing, using the Athena system and my MIT ID
Overleaf – Writing in LaTex on an online editor meant constant data transfer. I also continually used google for help with the project I was working on. Google Photos – I take pictures of notes etc. Google Photos has a feature that allows you to search your own photos using tags that they have given it using AI/Machine Learning. I would search my photos for words like “blackboard” to filter to the photos I had taken in class. When you make these searches the algorithm improves by looking at what you click after the search is completed.
I went to Dunkin to buy a bagel – used a debit card
While working, I used my phone continually. I would check my phone, group.me, Instagram, text, Snapchat – on all these apps they collect data on how long I use the app which buttons I press what I like what I don’t like.
Walked back to my dorm where I use my MIT ID to gain access.
Youtube – I use youtube to watch “comedy bites” – clips from tv shows compiled into smaller chunks because I don’t have time. Youtube is collecting data on what videos I watch all the way through vs when I choose another. They collect data on how long I watch an advert before I click “Skip Add”. They also let you up/down vote on adds to collect data on what you do and don’t like. I don’t click these but even refusing to participate is data.
I then went to class – I use paper to take notes so no data there but I do check my phone during class so the previous discussion continues
I attending a 6.036 (Intro to Machine Learning) LA meeting. Used Google Docs to give feedback on homework. I then helped at office hours for 6.036. There is a queue system where people go online ask for help and then I click a button to say I am currently giving them help. This collects data on how many people I help and how long it takes me to help a student. I also use a google form to check in and tell the staff that I turned up for my shift. We also use an online code editor which collects information on usage
I reported my weekly worked hours on ATLAS so I can get paid.
Online CrossWord Solving with friends – timing how long it takes me to complete the crossword.
In addition, Google Maps creates a map of where I’ve walked however I chose to not include this here for safety.
Chatting With People
I used a variety of apps throughout the day that recorded data on me in a variety of mediums. When I woke up, I spent time on Twitter and Facebook – not commenting, just scrolling. I accessed these sites through Chrome, so Google also had access to this behaviour. In addition to social media, I sent iMessages, texts, and had phone calls and a FaceTime video call. I took a flight in the middle of the day, so my lack of internet connectivity for this period would almost certainly show up in social media activity logs.
Moving Around Town
My mobility patterns were a bit out of the ordinary since I was flying from Toronto to Boston. To get from A to B, I first looked up how long it would take to get to the airport on Google maps. Then I called an Uber, and the driver took me off at the airport. My airline and border security recorded information on me while I was in the airport. I suspect there is a lot of surveillance at the airport, so my guess is that a lot of my data was taken during this period. I took an Uber from the airport in Boston to my house. Additionally, I ate lunch and dinner out and picked up a prescription, which means my credit card company, pharmacy, and the restaurants I went to all have access to my location.
Getting Online
I spent most of the day doing homework, which involved looking up documentation for coding languages. I also sent some emails on Gmail and streamed some music on Spotify.
Other Things
Since I was away from Boston for most of the day, I created data through my absence. For example, I usually use BlueBikes to get around, but I didn’t use them today, which they could use to infer that I was out of town.
Health data — steps taken, miles walked, flights of stairs taken
Map data — GPS location
Photos — photo of several flowers, a few dogs, screenshots of a few articles I read
Browser — Read the news (NYT, Slate, Nymag, New Yorker), browsed Twitter newsfeeds, liked a number of Tweets, browsed Instagram (mostly dog videos)
Texts — text conversations I had with a few friends where I sent them the screenshots I took from a few news articles
Messaging apps — Sent messages on FB Messenger, WeChat, Signal
Overall — Roaming data, connected to home wifi and used 4G, battery life data
Laptop
Microsoft Word — Wrote a few lines of a poem
Browser — purchased a pillow on Amazon, looked up a recipe for bread pudding, watched YouTube videos (watched many dog videos, some videos about babies, some comedy videos, a few celebrity interviews), read more news (NYT, BBC, Slate), browsed more Twitter, checked email on Gmail again
iPad
Watched a few episodes of show on Hulu
Transportation
Swiped bus pass twice
Services
Swiped in at the YMCA gym
Entered library but did not swipe library card (but not sure if presence was recorded in some other way?)
Purchasing
Swiped QR code at Whole Foods for Amazon membership, pretty sure all my motions are recorded the moment I step into a Whole Foods
Smart fridge — I don’t think our fridge has Internet connectivity but it does record things such as the amount of ice left and when the filter needs to be replaced
