We find ourselves in the midst of an information war, whether we chose to participate or not. On one side are the data extractors - the tech giants, advertisers, data brokers and other entities that see our personal information as a commodity to be harvested and traded. Their aim is to scoop up every byte of data they can about our online activities, locations, interests, relationships and more. 

On the other side are individuals seeking to retain ownership and control over their own digital footprints and identities. For them, privacy is not about hiding anything illicit, but rather about exercising autonomy and self-determination in an increasingly digitized world. They understand that our data, in aggregate, reveals intimate details about our lives, and they do not want to relinquish it without fair compensation or say in how it is used.

Like any war, this conflict involves tactics and strategy. The extractors deploy surveillance technologies, terms of service agreements and lobbying efforts to legalize ever more intrusive forms of profiling and tracking. Individuals employ tools like encryption, anonymous networks and strategic obfuscation to cloud their movements and activities online. 

Ultimately, it is a clash over power and information asymmetry. Who gets to see under the veil that individuals try to retain over their own lives and decisions? In whose interests will the vast troves of personal data being amassed be put to use? This information war will shape how privacy and transparency are balanced for years to come.