Taiwan is bracing for Typhoon Bavi, described as possibly the strongest storm since 2024, with winds howling at 200 kph. Authorities are pleading with residents to stock up on supplies, secure their homes, and stay indoors. It's a classic disaster preparedness story—neighbors helping neighbors, communities rallying. But wait: who else is paying attention to your preparation efforts? Your smart TV, grocery loyalty card, and weather app are all quietly logging your behavior. That extra case of water, the three bags of rice, the emergency generator—they're not just items; they're data points. And data points have a way of finding their way to unexpected places, like insurance company algorithms. Imagine this: your insurer cross-references your typhoon prep shopping list (courtesy of your supermarket loyalty card) with historical claims data. Did you buy enough canned goods? Did you choose the 'right' brand of batteries? If not, your 'risk score' ticks up, and so does your premium. Worse, if you fail to stock a specific item that some actuarial model deems essential, your next claim might be denied on grounds of 'inadequate mitigation.' But it doesn't stop there. Your weather app's location data reveals how often you checked the storm's path. Too many refreshes? That signals anxiety, which insurers might interpret as a propensity to file claims. Meanwhile, tech giants monetize your fear by selling targeted ads for 'typhoon-proof' windows and 'survivalist' meal kits—at triple the price. So as you dutifully fill your cart and board up your windows, remember: the storm isn't the only thing tracking you. Your data is being harvested, packaged, and sold to the highest bidder. And when the winds finally die down, you might find that the real disaster isn't the typhoon—it's what the typhoon did to your privacy and your wallet.