I usually don’t respond to my own Provocative Question prompts, but this week I’m making an exception. Especially when Melanie, over at Sparks from a Combustible Mind, commented, “This is one question I hope YOU write an answer to, too. It’d be interesting to hear your thoughts on the matter.”
My Provocative Question post yesterday referenced Pegasus, the latest kind of spyware that can spy on almost any device and any social media networks and messaging apps without the victim having any knowledge that it’s happening.
When I first learned about Pegasus, it freaked me out that hackers could access my iPhone, monitor my keystrokes, track my location, and hijack both the microphone and camera. I use my iPhone all the time. It’s always on. It has all of my credit card information on it, my bank account information, my retirement account information, my investments information. I use it to talk and text with my kids. If some evil doer can get at all of my information and see me through my phone’s camera and hear me through the phone’s microphone, I’m in deep doo doo.
I told my wife about it and started to have a panic attack. You know what she did? She started laughing at me and said “get over yourself.” She asked, “Are you an activist, an important business executive, a high powered lawyer, a senior government official, a journalist?”
I said, “No, but I am a blogger who has been quite outspoken about….”
She held up her hand to stop me and said, “I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you’re a nobody. I don’t think you need to worry about anyone wasting their time trying to track your every move.”
So now I feel much more at ease about the prospect of being victimized by this spyware.
At the same time, though, I’m pretty bummed that my wife of more than 40 years thinks of me as a nobody.
This, That, and the Other 
I expect that was a bit of a reality check but you know she didn’t mean she thought you were a nobody. She just meant that you are no Donald Trump. Aren’t you glad?
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From the moment we go online, we’re tracked and hacked by one thing, person or AI or other anyway.
This new thing is just the latest to be exposed.
While governments might not be interested in you. I have to say you are an important somebody to our wonderful writing community!
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Aw, thank you, Mason.
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You’re welcome!
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I am sure she meant a lovable nobody but it was a bit harsh for a reality check 🙂
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In a world where everyone is competing to be a “somebody,” it’s perfectly okay to be a “nobody.”
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That’s exactly my logic
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I hope that the anonymity will keep us safe. Don’t worry, Fandango. You’re a big shot in the blogosphere 😃
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Your wife might have been being ‘cruel to be kind’ because she didn’t want you to freak out. And I’m SURE to her, and to everyone who follows you here? You’re a big SOMEBODY. 😉 Thanks for answering and for the nod too! Now here’s a thought that might keep people up nights: Is WordPress ‘tracking’ us? Can they see me and do they care what I ‘say’? Ummmmm 😛
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I don’t know if WordPress can see us, but they certainly don’t listen to us.
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I’m a nobody too Fandango, but it still freaks me out and I don’t have the gizmos mentioned. However, I remember when supermarket loyalty cards first came in and we were getting vouchers for specifics things we’d be likely to buy (ie DVDs, books, certain food products). I never thought anything of it until my next door neighbour also had one, shopped in the same places and had her statement at the same time, yet her special offers were specific to things she’d be interested in and thus vastly different to ours. Made me think………. they know how you shop……………
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I’m nobodier than you and I don’t worry about “the government” bugging me. They already have all my info from tax returns, W-2s, banks, medical records, etc. I do worry about random hackers though, who target nobodies to steal from. It happened to two of my coworkers…
Funny story though!
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I’m reminded of the poem by Emily Dickinson:
I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody too?
Then there’s a pair of us! – don’t tell!
They’d banish us, you know!
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring Bog!
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Nice
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It pays to be a nobody in the times of Pegasus, I guess. There’s a huge ruckus happening over here about the government’s use of Pegasus
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I’m sure a lot of people are upset.
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Sorry!! laughing!! 😂😂😂
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My wife is a wise woman.
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take solace in being nearly anonymous. We could have targets painted on our backs like politicians.
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And in being one of the cool ones (re first) regardless.
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True!
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Pegasus software is not what hackers use. And NO ONE is immune from getting hacked. Worse, these days, because we have so much of our personal information stored in “clouds” whose servers belong to mega corporations,. The thieves don’t even need to be looking for us. We just pop up on someone’s list and voila, they are on your trail.
We ARE nobody. Pegasus is for bigger game than us, at least until it gets cheap enough so anyone can get hold of it. On the other hand, you’ve been hacked. I’ve been hacked and we are about as “nobody” as anyone can get.
Garry and I are also poor, have no investments and barely enough money to make it through the month — and trust me, they really don’t care. As far as they are concerned, anyone is probably worth a few grand and when I wouldn’t pay them anything, they disabled my computer just because they are dickheads.
Hackers are CRIMINALS. If you have anything, they will take it and laugh all the way to the bank. That is why it’s so scary. I know more people who HAVE been hacked than have NOT been hacked. And none of us are a big deal. The hackers don’t care. Anybody and nobody are fine with them.
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Yes, you’re right. I’ve been hacked and had my identity stolen multiple times. Nothing in cyberspace is safe, and now, with Pegasus or similar tools, our vulnerability to having our personal data being misused is even greater. Makes me glad to be an oldie. Maybe I’ll be gone before nothing is safe or sacred anymore.
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I should also point out that “famous people” don’t keep their account information on their mobile phones. They have locked accounts on distant islands, so they are far LESS likely to get hacked than you or me. Worse, we don’t have the kind of resources to become invulnerable. THEY HACKED EXPERION. Any our hospital. And almost every company with whom I do business. Do you think anything we could install would stop them if they wanted to take us down? Really?
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Thanks, Marilyn. I think you’re persuading me that it’s time to go off-grid.
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I’m sure she didn’t mean you’re a “nobody” nobody =D
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Not quite accurate though, everybody’s a somebody and hackers aren’t to fussy
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OMG! Your wife is a savage 😂. But at least that helped you feel at ease hehe
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Just knowing your privacy is no longer your private domain is a horrible feeling. Have my doubts about many things. I think the invasion is very real and has been going on for some time. Maybe the nobodys are the biggest target. 🙂
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Ugh.
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Nothing quite like a loved one setting you straight. 🤨
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