Alright, buckle up! So, the brainy folks over at Penn State University have dropped a bit of a digital bombshell on us: imagine the internet is a giant party and turns out, two-thirds of the websites out there are like that one friend who never brings snacks or even says 'thanks' for the free Wi-Fi. That's right, most websites are totally ghosting on the idea of privacy policies – you know, those long, snooze-worthy texts that tell you they're not gonna sell your selfies to some ad company.
Mukund Srinath, the whiz kid in doctoral robes, tells us that privacy policies are basically the internet's version of "handle with care" labels for your precious personal deets. They should let you know if your data is going to be kept secret or shared with the digital neighbors. And here's the kicker: these policies are about as rare as a quiet kitten on a YouTube binge.
The rules say every site should ask you to hit that 'Accept' button – a digital pinky promise that they won't mess with your info. But guess what? The cyber sheriffs are swamped, and the websites know it. They're playing a cheeky game of hide and seek with their privacy promises.
Srinath's squad did some serious cyber-sleuthing, crawling through millions of web pages like they're looking for that last piece of pizza at the party, only to find that privacy policies are more hidden than your grandma's secret cookie stash.
They tried this nifty nature-inspired trick called "capture-recapture" to count how many websites are playing by the rules, which feels a bit like counting squirrels in the park without a notebook.
And oh, if you do find a privacy policy, it's often as useful as a chocolate teapot. Some lead you on a wild goose chase to nowhere, and others are in a language that might as well be from Mars.
Shomir Wilson, the Penn State sensei of computer talk, reckons we need clear and simple privacy chat that doesn't need a decoder ring to understand.
The big takeaway? Next time you're surfing the web, just remember, there's a good chance the sites you visit are keeping their privacy cards closer to their chest than that one uncle at the family poker game. This whole study got a thumbs up from the National Science Foundation and even had its moment in the spotlight in Ireland. So, there you have it – the internet's privacy policy shenanigans, served up with a side of digital drama. Keep your eyes peeled, geeks!
Read next: Collins Dictionary Names Its Notable Word Of The Year For 2023 And The Result Isn’t Shocking Anyone
Mukund Srinath, the whiz kid in doctoral robes, tells us that privacy policies are basically the internet's version of "handle with care" labels for your precious personal deets. They should let you know if your data is going to be kept secret or shared with the digital neighbors. And here's the kicker: these policies are about as rare as a quiet kitten on a YouTube binge.
The rules say every site should ask you to hit that 'Accept' button – a digital pinky promise that they won't mess with your info. But guess what? The cyber sheriffs are swamped, and the websites know it. They're playing a cheeky game of hide and seek with their privacy promises.
Srinath's squad did some serious cyber-sleuthing, crawling through millions of web pages like they're looking for that last piece of pizza at the party, only to find that privacy policies are more hidden than your grandma's secret cookie stash.
They tried this nifty nature-inspired trick called "capture-recapture" to count how many websites are playing by the rules, which feels a bit like counting squirrels in the park without a notebook.
And oh, if you do find a privacy policy, it's often as useful as a chocolate teapot. Some lead you on a wild goose chase to nowhere, and others are in a language that might as well be from Mars.
Shomir Wilson, the Penn State sensei of computer talk, reckons we need clear and simple privacy chat that doesn't need a decoder ring to understand.
The big takeaway? Next time you're surfing the web, just remember, there's a good chance the sites you visit are keeping their privacy cards closer to their chest than that one uncle at the family poker game. This whole study got a thumbs up from the National Science Foundation and even had its moment in the spotlight in Ireland. So, there you have it – the internet's privacy policy shenanigans, served up with a side of digital drama. Keep your eyes peeled, geeks!
Read next: Collins Dictionary Names Its Notable Word Of The Year For 2023 And The Result Isn’t Shocking Anyone
