Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephani Atkins.
Stephani, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer. Before I knew my letters, I scribbled stories in a notebook, gibberish that only I could understand but that I loved to pretend to read.
Life, however, always got in the way of my writing. I consistently prioritized family and friends over my own creative endeavors.
I married young, and had four kids in six years. Twenty-one years into our marriage, my husband passed away from cancer leaving me widowed with four teenaged children. I not only had to help my family navigate though our grief, but I had to reinvent myself as well.
I had been a stay-at-home mom and full time volunteer; suddenly, I needed to find a career meaningful enough to buoy me through my sadness, flexible enough to keep me available for my kids, and with enough income to pay bills.
I planned to write my novel, but I was drawn to starting a nonprofit to empower others to authentically express themselves. StoryArk took off, and I set my novel writing aside in order to provide youth with the opportunity to share their stories through podcast, film, poetry, music and creative writing.
StoryArk grew, and one day, one of the students said to me, “Stephani, you do so much to help us share our stories. What about yours?” I was deeply touched and knew it was time to leave staff to volunteer on StoryArk’s board so that I could write the book I had always meant to write.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I started to research a novel with the working title BREEZE OFF. It began as a spy thriller based on a mysterious black ops soldier I met on a plane while flying from London to DC. Our conversation fired up my imagination, and I set to work learning about being a spy.
Almost immediately, I happened upon a topic I had never heard of before: corporate surveillance. I had no idea that my Facebook, Instagram, Google, Xfinity, and T-Mobile accounts were collecting everything about me and following me around the web. I had no idea hundreds of data brokers were aggregating my information into profiles so specific I became an easy target for scammers and phishing attempts.
My phone appeared to be listening to me – not because my microphone was turned on. The reason was much more creepy: THAT’s how much information companies had on me to feed me ads. They knew my location, what I searched for, who I messaged and hung out with.
Not only could social media platforms and Google predict what I would do next, they could also use advertising to nudge me in the direction they wanted me to go.
I felt hoodwinked! I alternated between anger that they would buy and sell my data without me knowing, and fear that so much of my personal information was available to anyone willing to pay money for it – including the Federal government who could now spy on me without my having 4th Amendment protection.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I set the novel aside to start PrivacyMatters2, an organization committed to making digital privacy accessible and doable for all. We created the Shield Up! Training series to help people protect their data without feeling intimidated. With the loyal support of Privacy Pup, each one of us could return to simplicity, humor and goodness.
We are just beginning the PrivacyMatters2u Initiative, a membership club where members collect Badges for every action they take to protect their privacy and then earn a cash back bonus at the end of the year based on participation.
For so many years, corporations have earned billions of dollars through the data they’ve taken from us. It’s only fair we earn some money as we take it back.
As for writing that novel, I’ve once again started working on BREEZE OFF. I’m in the plotting stage, and let me tell you, given it’s based on real life, it’s going to be a doozy. Reality holds more horror than anything I could come up with.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
When it comes to digital privacy, many Americans feel overwhelmed. I am not. I am hopeful. We are not helpless. Americans can make sure neither George Orwell’s Big Brother (total state surveillance), nor Big Tech’s Little Pixel (invisible tracking) will prevail.
Together, we can create a movement that: 1) gives us tools to delete our data and reclaim our privacy; 2) sends a message to the market that our personal information is not for sale; and 3) rejects a surveillance state.
If we can do that, well, maybe it won’t matter so much if I write that novel or not. Regardless, I’d still like to try.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://privacymatters2u.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanihalleenatkins
- Other: Substack: @privacymatters2u
