Evolution

I've just spent some time out watching my favourite comedy movies, the original Pink Panther films. Made over 30 years ago, these films relied on primitive effects which in my opinion made the visual jokes even better. What strikes me is the lack of technology available back in those days. No "real" computers, offices with computerless desks and everything but fancy televisions being the focal point of furnished rooms. I am old enough to remember the days without computers and the thrill of the ZX-81 computer being released, and no google to find out the answer to just about anything. So what am I going on about here.....?
Well, in essence it is all about the evolving threats, how we must be open minded and keep up with what is happening around us. Security back in those days was limited to the necessity of keeping information locked up in a secure filing cabinet in a guarded room. A basic security strategy, but one which could be regarded as effective under the circumstances.
Compare this to today's information storage and things are drastically different.
Computers and servers interconnect all over the globe and share our data with those authorised to access it. Well that is the theory anyway. Do we as individuals really know the extent to which our data is shared, and who has access to it?
I continually get phone calls from cold callers trying to sell me their services and it is evident they know a lot more about me than they are letting on, least of all my name address and home phone number. What worries me most is the fact that these callers are employed by agencies with typically high staff turnover. So who is authorised to access my data exactly ? Basically anyone who works for a company tasked with generating business. Although only a small subset of my overall profile may be accessible to these people, it may still in my opinion be too much.
In reality is it really worth me shredding all correspondence with my name and address on it before putting it in the bin? Well it makes me feel better, but all my info is floating around out there somewhere, and the trouble is I don't really know where....