Imagine a world where online shops predict your purchases even before you start browsing, or where websites help you seek out business or romantic partners. In this age of information technology, such a world is fast becoming a reality. Personal data is now being shared all over social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. As people communicate through emails and text messages, they leave behind trails of digital information that expose their particulars, interests and actions. While there is much to gain from this open exchange of data, there are also serious consequences.

Without proper controls, we stand to lose our autonomy to commercial entities and governments, who can easily access our personal data for their own interests. Professor Alessandro Acquisti, an expert on behavioral economics of privacy, and privacy in online social networks, explored what motivated us to share our personal lives online, and the implications of this behaviour on individuals and society.