The Value of Your Personal Data

Computer scientist and high-tech entrepreneur Jaron Lanier sums up the message of this cautionary documentary in a single sentence: “Privacy doesn't mean anything.” The Value of Your Personal Data looks at how government agencies and popular online sites exploit the personal data of computer users for political and commercial purposes. The question of who controls the data left by those logging onto the Internet or using cellular telecommunications is, as Lanier suggests, somewhat moot at this point in time, since most people know that the residue of one's online adventures leaves a digital trail that can easily be picked up. The film briefly mentions Edward Snowden and his whistle-blowing on the National Security Agency as being the most extreme example of online data being vacuumed up for questionable purposes, but it carefully avoids the debate on whether Snowden's actions created any harm by exposing classified intelligence-gathering operations. Living 100 percent of your life offline is practically impossible for all but virtual hermits in today's world, and this film offers no viable alternative for those who are trying to maintain as much online anonymity as possible. As a result, The Value of Your Personal Data offers very little real value, providing no new insights into a pressing problem. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Hall)