GAMY Security Acronym
As a digital literacy instructor, I commonly get students that don’t understand the big-tech silos and the applications or apps that are associated with each of them, so I’ve authored a new acronym GAMY which could be expanded to GAAFMY:
- Google (Alphabet)
- Apple
- Amazon
- Microsoft
- Yahoo / Verizon
The primary significance is that each big-tech silos needs a security-key to get into their silo. A security-key is a unique combination of an email, username, password, phone number, location, and possibly other multifactor authentications. If you are a Google Business listing, you would also receive a snail-mail post card sent to your physical address; which is yet another piece of security-key data.
Device Security
Each laptop, desktop, smartphone, tablet, IoT, smart TV, smart car or other computer device; individually requires device sign-in security. This device is yet another unique identifier to our profile. When individuals need to change a password, email, or device for an GAMY app; each device must be changed. Ouch!
BTS – Big Tech Silo
These security identifiers are data points held and managed by each big-tech silo (BTS). Is it safe to say, BTS know more about us than our own government? Our government most commonly knows us with only a combination of a name, address, email, phone, social security number.
BTS are the highly profitable growth superstars. Do they keep the best interest of all users when it comes to digital policy making?
Government vs BTS
As users, we really have little recourse to most BTS applications, but to accept their user license agreement or ULA. As individuals, we grant a lot of permission to the will of the BTS. So, who is our advocate of the software and hardware that uses broadband to transport digital information?
So if the Amazon superstar silo says they want new laws, who becomes the effective consumer advocate?
Perhaps we should hold the tech superstars to an even higher standard because of their power over our lives and their influence on policymakers and public perception.
Emily Stewart, writing for Vox’s Recode
WNC Broadband project is your advocate for high-speed internet to use these big tech services.
Who is your big tech silo advocate as a consumer? Especially when is comes to GAMY policy and procedures?
Is our advocate the United States government?
Can policy makers be influenced BTS, including big tech Amazon; without the best interest of the consumer?
.Amazon Wants a Lot of New Laws. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/03/technology/amazon-laws.html. Published 2021. Accessed June 6, 2021.
