Protecting Privacy: Education, Technology, and Markets

In GOF 2.5, Sarah Baase talks about ways to prevent the loss of privacy. First of all, people must be aware of the problems in technology; people need to understand the possibility of the misuse of information given out, and must be careful. There are also technologies that increase the security of databases, or large storehouses of information that have the possibility of being distributed. One of the hugest problems that people have to face is the possibility of losing privacy. Unfortunately, there are trade-offs in technology; sometimes we have to make sacrifices when we use certain technologies. For example, many Americans feel that having wires tapped is worth the safety that could come along with it, after the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. Therefore, in order to live with today's technology, we all must make some sacrifices of privacy. The question is, is it too high a price to pay? Also, the accessability of information on the Internet means that people need to be more careful about what the put online, bu tisn't that a restiction of our rights to freedom of speech? Unfortunately, the government can't be trusted to regulate information online, because the government itself uses and abuses the information online. It looks like it's up to us, the citizens, to regulate what's online; but with big brother looking over our shoulder, is there a way to have complete freedom with what we can say and do (which is our right, as stated in the constitution)?

More Privacy Risks

In GOF 2.4, Sarah Baase talks about the insecurity of social security numbers. Social security numbers are used to identify us, and are therefore given to certain organizations, which use them to identify us. The fact that social security numbers are used for so much, a lot of valuable and personal information is associated with them. Whoever knows your social security number can gain access to a huge amount of information, pretty much everything about you. The possibility of someone unlawfully gaining access to one's social security number is a huge risk, resulting in fraud and invasion of privacy. In history, the government has even abused the use of social security numbers (or other uses of identification), including: Hitler, who used the information to determine religious affiliation, in order to track the non-Germans; and even the United States now, using identification to keep track of illegal immigrants. Today, the Internet, which is the ultimate source for the exchange of information, has also become very dangerous, because of the availability of information. If social security numbers, and other identifying resources, which hold our most personal information, are so insecure and are sometimes subject to flaws, what can we rely on to keep our private information safe?

Consumer Information: Databases and Marketing, and Credit Bureaus

GOF 2.3.1 and 2.3.3, by Sarah Baase, discusses information used by companies, and how this information could be used harmfully and/or not to the customer's knowledge. Marketers compile information about potential customers into databases, and send advertisements, or, as some consider it, "junk mail," to these potential buyers. Although advertisements to not cause serious harm, they can be inconvenient and annoying. Behind the inconvenience, though, is an even bigger problem. Marketers could have access to information about people (customers) that these people might not want other people to know about, and most probably is without the customer's knowledge. Also, credit bureaus, with their large storehouse of information form credit reports, have been known to distribute this information to marketers, which will in turn use the information to send advertisements to those more prone to spend, as judged by said credit reports. At first site, marketers and credit bureaus may seem harmless, if annoying; but behind this facade is a much deeper, more troubling problem, that could cause more harm than expected. It seems that any organization or business trusted with personal information can't, in fact, be trusted. Is there a way to prevent the leaking of information?

"Big Brother is Watching You"

In GOF 2.2, by Sarah Baase, the topic discussed is government access to personal information. Government access to personal information can be very helpful in catching persecutors and preventing crime, but Baase discusses some shocking, little-known facts about the government. For example, did you know that the FBI tracked the movements of thousands of citizens (mostly anti-Vietnam war) during the 1960's and 70's without a court order? Or that police can use toll records in investigations without a court order? Or that there could be surveillance cameras where you wouldn't expect, watching your every move, and that the government can use this information without your knowledge or consent? There are many more instances involving the government abusing power, and going against our right to privacy (Fourth amendment). The fact that the government is abusing the rights that it is supposed to uphold is disturbing and frightening. The government is supposed to be protecting our rights and freedoms, but at the same time is taking them away. If our own government can't be trusted, how can we be sure that our rights and freedoms are being protected? What can we, as a democratic country, do about the situation?

From Virtual Communities to Smart Mobs

This article, by Lane Jennings, is about the future of technology, which could include wearable devices that could allow us to have access to information whenever we want/need it, and advanced surveillance systems that could process information about people anywhere and at any time. As much as these technologies could benefit society, they may also result in an equal amount of harm. This kind of access to information would raise numerous questions about rights to privacy; if anyone can get information about anyone they meet, and if people are being constantly watched and listened to, people's lives would basically be an open book to anyone who would have the information. Also, the potential harm caused by hackers getting access to this much information is hard to fathom. If the Internet now is raising problems such as loss of privacy, and issues such as child molestation, what would the future hold if information availability became as Jennings sees it? These types of problems need to be solved now, before this kind of technology expands and the problems become out of control. Technology has been changing society since the beginning of time, and it will continue to change society for as long as man exists. The thing we do have control of, though, is whether it will benefit or harm, through regulation and, most of all, awareness. Can we filter out the possible negative effects of technology and maintain the benefits?

Hacktivism

Hacktivism has a bad reputation because of the harm it can cause. In the NPR program, "hackers Stall Ticket sales for Rockies Game," the Colorado Rockies game had 54,000 tickets prevented from going on sale for a time because of a hacker. Although there are many hackers who use hacktivism to cause harm, there are beneficial forms of hacking. The Zapatistas used hacking to put out there ideas and their cause over the Internet to garner support for their revolution in Mexico. This is just a modern form of civil disobedience, but is subject to punishment, because it may cause harm to the government, as did literature in the past, such as Thomas Paine's "Common Sense." The problem with the punishment of hacking is that not all hackers are trying to cause harm, and the term "harm" and who may be harmed are subject to opinion. Obviously the Mexican government will be harmed by the Zapatistas movement, but the citizens of Mexico may be helped. Who is to say what may harm and what may help?

Computer Crime

This chapter discusses the evolution and ethics behind computer hacking. Hacking has evolved from getting into systems for intellectual reasons, to getting into systems for money, to hacking just to cause harm. The main issues that need to be looked at with hacking is how it is to be punished, and how it is to be prevented. Some people believe that it's like vandalism, a misdemeanor, and others believe that it is much more serious, and needs a harsher punishment. The ability of so many people to hack into systems also reflects a weakness in security. Unfortunately, security measures cannot keep up with the growing intelligence of hackers. The problem is, this affects everyone, not just large corporations, so we are all at risk to viruses and having identities stolen. Is there a way to prevent hacking, as it evolves more and more? Can there be an end to it?