Internet and Its Effect on Privacy Essay

Introduction

The Internet has not only changed the way we interact with each other but has also brought new challenges. Privacy is one of the key issues that has been brought about by the inception of the internet. The establishment of the internet has made it easier for people to interact, communicate and do business. However, the ease at which people interact has also meant sharing a lot of personal data online. The use of sites such as Facebook has made it hard for people to keep their private life in privacy. Hackers have also taken advantage of the situation and gained personal information from various sites.

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Although internet had positively changed our lives, it has also made it hard for individuals to enjoy private lives.

Data Collection

The government and other multinational corporations have been collecting data with or without our knowledge (Gillmor, 2017). One of the biggest search engines 'Google" has confirmed that it collects data from its Gmail users. Other companies such as Facebook are collecting user data and selling it to advertising companies (Solove, 2010, p. 40). The collection of data from clients has become rampant, and people have started mistrusting social media companies. The information collected by these sites has enabled the corporations to make a profit. The corporations have invested into different logarithms, have enabled the corporations to know what their clients want by looking at their previous purchases. Since the companies make purchases easier for clients, people have not been complaining about the data collected. However, the controversy arises when customer realize that the social media sites are using their information without their permission or informing them about the use. According to the CEO of Facebook, the company may stop using the name "Facebook" because of the mistrust that its customers have acquired (Manjoo, 2014).

Information Security

The internet currently connecting more devices and the trend is not reducing. The connectivity has improved how people communicate and carry out their different activities. However, the increased connectivity has increased privacy risk as hackers, and criminals get more entry points. Hackers have been blamed for the loss of personal identity and loss of money. Criminals who are tech savvy are using loopholes in different financial institutions to steal data or money. The government has also been affected by hackers who pose a nationals threat. In 2014, a group of hackers were able to penetrate the Ukraine national power grid and caused a national blackout. The US has also faced these kinds of attacks with different agencies getting their websites infiltrated by criminals. Such kind of attacks was unheard of before the advent of the internet. Criminals who wanted to still data had to use physical means to gain entry into the location where the information is located. However, the current group of criminals interferes with the different websites while sitting behind a computer. The Internet has therefore changed the way people viewed their privacy as people became more knowledgeable about technology.

Millennials vs. Old Generation

The internet has changed the way different groups of people view security. The older generation tends to be more cautious about what they share online compared to the millennials. Before the advent of the interment, people used to view security and privacy as something that occurred in their physical locations such as homes and offices. However, the advent of the internet has made people change the way they look at security (Marston). The younger generation has been sharing their personal information online at an alarming rate. There have been cases where people have lost their jobs, friends or marriage because of what they post online. Cyberbullies have also been using the information posted online to either harass or extort their victims. Additionally, employers have been turning to social media to determine the suitability of a candidate. No law prohibits an employer from looking at what a candidate is posting (Sutter &John, 2010). With all these changes in the world, people have started to look at privacy in a different light. As the years go by, both the old and the new generation are becoming cautious of what they should share online. The need to protect oneself from the preying eyes is changing. It is no longer a matter of putting keys and locks on the doors but using software and other online features. The use of anti-malware and anti-virus software is increasing. Parents are also becoming aware of the risks that the internet is posing. Some of the parents are using parental control features to ensure their children are safe. Companies are also starting to be more upfront with clients about what kind of information they are collecting.

Terrorism and National Security

The government is also using the internet to collect data which it says is meant to combat terrorism. After, the WikiLeaks scandals, the NSA agreed it had been doing a massive data collection including those of the US citizens. A CBS news poll that was conducted after the Snowden scandal showed that people were concerned about the massive data collection by the government. However, those interviewed did not mind losing some of their privacy if it meant keeping the country safe (Rathan & Ramya, 2017). Most people believe there should be a balance between privacy and security. The issues of security and privacy were brought forth when the US government requested Apple to help it open one of the phones of a suspected terrorist (Pew Research Center). Apple refused to obey the orders claiming that giving the federal government access to the phone would compromise other iPhone users. The issues were significant in starting a national debate about how far technology firms should protect their privacy while corporation with the law.

Changing View

Although a bigger percentage of people agreed that the government surveillance programme is necessary to keep them safe, the number keeps on reducing as time passes. A pew research poll conducted after 9/11 showed 60 percent of Americans were willing to lose some of their privacy to keep the country safe. However, as time passes, people start getting concerned about the privacy of their online activities (Anton et al.). The same poll conducted in 2010 showed the number of people who were willing to lose their privacy decline to 40 percent (Pew Research Center). Despite the disapproval by the people, the government has come up with different laws to ensure they can snoop on people online activities. The Patriotic Act and the Investigatory Powers Act gives the government the power to access online data of individuals under certain conditions. The internet has therefore changed the way we view privacy from the lock and key to the online issue.

Counter Argument

Online privacy involves different groups of people from the government, corporation to individuals. The efforts that one may put in place to ensure they stay safe may be affected by a third's party mistakes. A picture taken by a friend may be posted online compromising once security without the third parties consent. The data collected online can be used to invade a person's privacy because of the actions of another party. It is therefore critical to ensure private information is safeguarded from third parties and prying eyes. As the technology evolves, so will the view of the people and the laws that govern private information. The challenges that exist in the society such as terrorism and other modern issues play a critical role in the way people view privacy and the way the address such issues.

Conclusion

Finally, the new generation is becoming more technologically savvy compared to the older generation and are becoming aware of the different ways to keep themselves safe from the dangers posed by the internet. In countries with strick online control, the citizens have come up with ways that enable them to bypass the prying eyes of the government. More and more citizens are using the available methods such as proxy servers to ensure they enjoy the services offered by the internet while staying private (Sutter). Multinational companies have also realized the importance of keeping client information private. The standoff between Apple and the government shows how companies are standing their ground in ensuring the government does not arm twist them and invade clients data.

Works Cited

Anton, A.I., et al. "How internet users' privacy concerns have evolved since 2002." IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine, vol. 8, no. 1, 2010, pp. 21-27.

Gillmor, D. "As we sweat government surveillance, companies like Google collect our data | Dan Gillmor." 21 Feb. 2017, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/18/corporations-google-should-not-sell-customer-data.

Manjoo, F. "The Future of Facebook May Not Say 'Facebook?" 16 Apr. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/technology/the-future-of-facebook-may-not-say-facebook.html.

Marston, R. "Can social media get you fired?" 9 Jan. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/business-42621920.

Pew Research Center. "Views of Government's Handling of Terrorism Fall to Post-9/11 Low." Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 15 Dec. 2015, www.people-press.org/2015/12/15/views-of-governments-handling-of-terrorism-fall-to-post-911-low/#views-of-how-the-government-is-handling-the-terrorist-threat.

Rathan Kumar, Ramya. "Internet of Things ('IOT') - Privacy Concerns." SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017.

Solove, D. J. "A Taxonomy of Privacy." University of Pennsylvania Law Review, vol. 154, no. 3, 2010, p. 477, doi:10.2307/40041279.

Sutter, John D. "The Internet and the 'end of Privacy'." CNN International - Breaking News, US News, World News and Video, 13 Nov.-Dec. 2010, edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/12/13/end.of.privacy.intro/index.html. Accessed 12 Mar. 2018.