Defining Online Privacy
The ever-increasing amount of personal information used in e-commerce transactions and exchanged on social networking sites changes how we define "privacy." As emails and online diaries can now be subpoenaed by judges and identity scams have become more common, activists, lawyers and politicians are acting to establish a protective framework for Internet users. But as the debate continues, the conflict between safety, privacy, convenience and self-expression becomes more pronounced.
 
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2.5.08
| 03:47 PM - |
Privacy Concerns
endless - Why isn't this younger generation more afraid of their privacy being stolen away? Is it that they don't quite understand the consequences, since they haven't had to live with them yet? If you haven't see jobs lost and reputations tarnished because of a loss of privacy, maybe you don't quite realize the damage that can be done. Or maybe the older generation just latches onto a belief that privacy is worth more than it should be? Why do I have any problem sharing my thoughts with the world, especially if it bears no tangible consequences?
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| 10:56 AM - |
Old Wise Men
sultanofswing - The other day I was showing my grandfather the power of the internet for his first time. So I googled him. "How amazing is it grandpa that you can find out so much right at the tip of your fingers?!" As he sat there processing this amazing fact, he had just one question...."but, what happens to privacy?"
Privacy is not just about the legal and the illegal. It is not just about the right and the wrong. It is about being able to lead one's own life free from the ability for the world to access your every detail, whether you want it or not. We may not quite realize it, as this is all we have known, but the definition of privacy will never be the same. I will never know what it is to have the privacy that grandpa was talking about. |
| 10:55 AM - |
You can't hide anyway
jb - There was an interesting blog post a little while back talking about an interesting nuance on this topic. Over at tech liberation blog - they've got this great post on anonymity vs privacy. I'll hunt around for the link.
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| 10:52 AM - |
Users - they can do it
welles - Someone buying something online with a credit card is not a 6 year old. Adults are responsible for their personal information and personal security - just like in the non-cyber world. Nothing changes here, people just need to educate themselves
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| 09:10 AM - |
Accountability
meatandpotatoes - I think there is nothing morally "wrong" about using the internet to research or "investigate" the user base. More than anything, the internet adds accountability for ones actions.
In the facebook example, the family was committing fraud. They didnt pay for the type of coverage they needed, and they shouldnt receive it for free. Does the family have a right to declare online material private? When a child molester is caught using myspace or the facebook messages, police are congratulated for their innovative efforts. Should we really protect these people by issuing laws to protect their privacy? I think the internet adds accountability for peoples actions. The simple rule of thumb, "dont write anything down you dont want the whole world to read" should be deeply considered before posting on the internet. |
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