There are a lot of ways such information can be collected and misused. You think the average google user is secure? Heck no. My wife finally convinced me to give up Chrome for most uses because of it. I see a lot of clearly cookie driven ad crud on Chrome, more than any other browser. I have quit (far too late) reading gun forum stuff on Chrome. Magazine subscription lists are often bought/sold. With a modest bit of research, your views on a lot of things can be discerned. That's putting aside the whole generation who simply cannot avoid FB, Twitter, Instagram and other more common social media. Look at the number of dullards who get arrested because the post some kind of stupid stuff about their criminality.

Big banks will give up a lot of information - especially credit card use. All kinds of data conglomeration companies are out there, and they get all sorts of stuff. What most of us consider "personal privacy" is long dead. I do public records stuff for my office and research and teach for the county as a whole on that topic. I have been appalled at what we have to give out.

Getting a carry license is no more of a risk than any of this other stuff, and it has a real benefit. I virtually never leave my home unarmed. I can't imagine doing so. My education/training/socialization in firearms use simply does not accept any excuse for being unarmed unless I am going into a federal courthouse or some other really odd place.

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NHI, 10-8.